


The Lion's Guard

by Jump_ship



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, May/December Relationship, Political Campaigns, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-04-08 10:38:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 118,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19105414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jump_ship/pseuds/Jump_ship
Summary: After an attack on Tywin that has left him hospitalised temporarily, Kevan Lannister has taken over the running of the Lannister corporation and the political campaign to keep Joffrey as the Prime Minister.Tamren Rivers is a private bodyguard indebted to the iron bank, and she’s just been appointed the dubious honour of keeping Kevan alive.





	1. Chapter 1.

**Author's Note:**

> Way back last year I wrote a one shot revolving around this pairing and it's been bugging me ever since. So here it finally is, the first chapter of a full story for the Kevan Lannister/OFC modern AU that it turns out a couple of people did want to read!

“If you would please ensure your seatbelts are fastened, we will shortly begin our descent into King’s Landing airport.”

Tamren Rivers smiled up at the blonde airhostess stood beside her seat and closed the screen on her laptop. The private flight from Braavos had been comfortable and a good opportunity to catch up on her research but the private bodyguard was now ready to touch down and stretch her legs out after a few hours of reclining in the plush seats of the Iron Bank’s jet.

“Fancy giving me a hand with the fastening love?” 

The man seated opposite her smirked up at the young woman who returned his leering with a practiced, polite tone.

“The instructions can be found on the safety card under your seat, sir.”

Tamren caught the young woman’s eye and they shared a smile before she headed down the cabin to speak to the other occupants of the flight.

“Worth a go,” the man muttered, no hint of disappointment visible at the brush off. 

Tamren had come to the conclusion very early into the flight that her new colleague was potentially going to be the worst part of this new job and he hadn’t done anything to prove her wrong thus far.

Not that anything about this job was what she usually felt comfortable with. Years of guarding the rich and famous was one thing, being dropped into the middle of a failing political campaign was quiet another. But when the Iron Bank had offered her an opportunity to wipe her debts it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. Literally.

As if on cue the most senior of her new employers appeared from the plush bathroom and settled into the white leather seat to her left. 

“I trust you are both feeling rested?”

Tamren gave a nod to the executive of the Iron Bank and tried to ignore the sense of discomfort in her stomach every time the man turned his gaze on her. Tycho Nestoris was one of the most quietly unsettling men she thought she had ever met. The way his lips seemed to peel back from his teeth when he spoke made her feel like prey and absolutely nothing about him instilled a sense of trust. But it was to him that she would report for the next few months and he had ultimate control over whether she would be released from her debt. 

“Good,” he continued, checking his phone as the plane started to dip. “We will be heading directly to the Keep to meet with Mr Lannister and the rest of the Premier’s cabinet. I expect there may be some, reluctance, on the part of the Ministers but we expect everything to run smoothly once our position is made clear.”

“So long as I get my room with a view and that first paycheque it’ll go well,” her colleague answered with a smile.

Tamren watched the buildings of King’s Landing City come into view as they dipped below cloud level and wished she could feel half as confident. 

 

Kevan Lannister was pacing the pale concrete balcony of the Red Keep Government offices when the messenger appeared to announce the arrival of the party from the Iron Bank. As he paused in his steps he felt the dull ache in his knees still present from where he’d knelt in prayer at the feet of the Father hours earlier. 

The fair haired young man bowed briskly.

“They are requesting your presence, Sir.”

Kevan nodded wearily, resigned to further hours of argument over money. Since his brother’s poisoning and subsequent hospitalisation he could scarcely remember a moment where he hadn’t been buried in accounts in a desperate attempt to prop up the slowly failing funds of the government. Robert had practically bankrupted the country before the no confidence vote that had unseated him and under Joffrey’s current brief Premiership things hadn’t much improved. With an election looming Kevan’s focus which had initially been on shoring up trade supplies against the predicted recession had now been forced to switch to campaign planning. 

He followed the young messenger through the towering glass doors back into the winding corridors of the Government building but was surprised to find they did not head directly to the Premier’s formal chamber. Although the Premier himself was away at his country lodge for the weekend a party of this importance would usually have been greeted in the huge hall of the old building, one of the remaining features of the original Keep.

“His Emissary requested that the council might speak in a more private setting,” the messenger stated when Kevan questioned why the party wasn’t to be met with the full Parliamentary greeting. He tensed at the response, that could not possibly bode well, he thought.

The messenger left him at the door to a much smaller meeting room usually used by the Minister of Finance and Kevan paused a moment, brushing weathered hands down the front of his black suit before drawing himself up to his full height and stepping in.

The room was one of the many in the refurbished Keep with the huge glass panes that always made Kevan feel like an animal at the zoo. The windows overlooked the financial district of the city and the room itself was dominated by a long table that could usually comfortably seat the entirety of the financial advisory team but currently seemed to be straining to hold the oppressive atmosphere and the number of occupants.

“Uncle Kevan, I’m glad you could join us.” Cersie’s tight smile and clipped tone made it clear just how little she meant the words but Kevan acknowledged them without comment turning instead to the strangers in the room.

Besides Mace Tyrell, Cersie and two of their household guards there were five strangers. Three were men dressed in casual linen suits who were watching him closely and clutching briefcases. Behind them stood what Kevan assumed were two members of a security team. One was a wiry built man with a scrubby goatee and lopsided smirk. He was watching proceedings alongside his colleague, a dark haired, sharp eyed woman in a black suit and boots. 

The oldest and apparently most senior of the three bankers stepped forward with a wide smile and grasped Kevan’s hand tightly between both of his.

“Ser Kevan, thank you for coming so quickly. My name is Tycho Nestoris, I don’t believe we have met before but I am the account executive for the Iron Bank. We have a number of urgent matters to discuss that require your expertise.”

 

It was four hours later when with some relief for everyone involved they finally agreed that the Iron Bank would back Joffrey’s campaign in the election but only on the grounds that Mr Nestoris would remain in the capital with his advisory team to oversee proceedings.

With the negotiations as satisfactorily complete as Kevan thought they would ever be, he brought the meeting to a close, finally exhausted.

“Well gentlemen, if that is all that needs to be covered for today I think it best we retire for the evening. Our head of security will make arrangements for your transport to the hotel.”

Kevan rose along with the rest of Joffrey’s campaign team but Nestoris raised a hand and smiled another toothy, crocodile smile.

“A moment longer of your time, Sir, there is one more small issue we would like to discuss.”

Kevan felt the tension rise again, everyone in the room keen to be gone. He raised an eyebrow and waited for the executive to continue. Instead the older man motioned forward the smirking guard and his colleague in black who’d stood silently behind his seat throughout proceedings. They took one long step up beside him, eyes landing on Kevan for the first time. 

“This is Bronn Blackwater and Tamren Rivers,” Nestoris stated motioning to each in turn. Bronn inclined his head with a smile, Tamren merely gave a polite nod of her head. Kevan didn’t move. 

“In light of the current, unfortunate events that have occurred in the capital, the Iron bank has decided to gift to you two of its finest security associates as personal guard.”

“The Premier already has a highly capable Security team headed by his Uncle Jamie Lannister,” Kevan assured the accountants, “but I am sure their additional capabilities will be very much appreciated by Joffrey.”

Nestoris’ teeth sparkled in the dying light filtering through the windows behind him as his smile spread wider.

“You misunderstand me, Sir. Mr Blackwater is assigned to the protection of Mr Tyrell as Minister of Finance.”

Mace Tyrell shot a nervous look at the shrewd eyed man but nodded graciously all the same. “In these dark times, the protection of a bodyguard chosen by the Iron bank is much appreciated. I would be much pleased for Mr Blackwater to join my ministerial security team.” 

His pompous tone was accepted with a small bow from Nestoris who turned his gaze back upon Kevan.

Kevan watched, suspicion rising as the Iron Bank’s executive clasped his hands happily and motioned to Bronn to join the Tyrell minister. 

“And your other associate?”

“Is your personal guard, Sir.”

This was a moment of silence where the room seemed to freeze and all Kevan could feel was his bone deep weariness rising to anger. Cersie barely supressed a laugh.

“This is absurd.” Kevan’s hands balled into fists at his sides. 

“Now Uncle, I think we should consider their point.” Cersie wore a satisfied smirk as she surveyed him. She was enjoying this all too much. “After everything that has happened, the support of the Iron bank in ensuring your safety should be reassuring. You aren’t a young man, after all.”

Kevan ground his jaw, the only thing keeping him from spluttering his disdain for her words. Instead he turned on the poised woman in black stood silent and expressionless beside Nestoris.

“I will not have this stranger following at my heels. The Lannister company guards are more than capable,” Kevan said, waving a dismissive hand in her direction. 

She met his gaze with a flinty, unreadable expression but infuriatingly did not respond. Instead Nestoris clasped his hands and smiled, a toothy, sharks grin.

“I can assure you Sir, Tamren is a superb bodyguard. I can personally vouch for her skills.”

Kevan was barely listening to the Executive’s words. He knew the Iron Bank was concerned for their investment but he had not considered they would go so far as to have a spy so openly placed within the campaign’s ranks. 

They were all watching him, waiting for him to turn down the bank outright.

“And if I refuse your gracious offer?” Kevan asked after a long moment. 

“The Iron bank must ensure its current debts are in safe hands before it can consider further lending.”

Nestoris’s voice was calm but the cold steel running through it made his point more than clear. Kevan swallowed hard and kept his back straight. 

 

 

Tamren watched silently as the caretaker head of the Lannister Corporation and aid to the Premier weighed up his choice. He was being careful not to meet her eye and focusing his attention on Nestoris so she took the opportunity to size up Kevan Lannister. 

Prior to being assigned the role of his bodyguard, Tamren couldn’t say she’d ever heard of the man, most talk of Lannisters being of the mighty Tywin and less often Cersie or Jamie. Kevan Lannister seemed quite a different animal to the rest of his family. Shorter and stockier than his brother and lacking his hawk like poise, the immediate adjective that sprang to mind when she’d watched the grey haired Lannister negotiating, was sturdy. Kevan spoke with a certainty that all wealthy men seemed to innately possess but fatigue and emotions shone through too clearly for him to throw off the shrewd accountants of the Iron Bank.

Tamren had guarded a great many public figures over the last fifteen years, some of them more difficult than others. Many of them had been the children of wealthy business people and socialites, keen to duck their minders. Others had been film stars or musicians determined to create as much press around themselves as possible which presented its own challenges. But watching the tension rise between all parties in the room she knew immediately that the man she was assigned to keep alive this time might not be the biggest obstacle to the job at hand.

To her surprise it was Cersie who broke the tension with a gracious smile to Tamren and words of support.

“Ms Rivers, after the attack on my dear father at the hands of such an unexpected assailant the Lannister Corporation and the government would be only too happy to accept a bodyguard held in such high regard by the Bank. It settles my heart to know my dear Uncle will be kept safe by a woman of such capabilities.”

It was the first time anyone in the room had address her directly and Tamren acknowledged her words with a polite nod. She was well aware of the potential threats posed by the mother of the Premier, Nestoris had been quite clear on that front. 

“Cersie, this is not - ” Kevan started but was cut off when Cersie crossed the floor and extended a hand to Tamren. Tamren was wary but took it with a small smile.

“We have a small office near to my Uncle’s in which you can be quartered. It has not been used for some time but can be made comfortable enough. I will have the domestic staff settle you in. We are grateful for your presence.”

“Excellent,” Nestoris beamed in that disarming way he had. “That’s settled then. Mr Lannister, thank you for your understanding. I think after all this talk we should all like to take some time to rest after our journey before we begin our true work tomorrow.”

It was only after the glass door had finally shut and they were left alone that Kevan Lannister finally turned to her directly. He stood perhaps only an inch taller than herself but had a broad frame and a presence greater than his stature. Tamren had grown used to the way wealthy men would carry themselves as if they took up twice the space they did. She waited for the older man to speak first as he weighed her up, eyes sweeping the length of her without embarrassment or hesitation.

“You will accompany me throughout my duties if necessary and stand guard outside my quarters but you will not set foot within them. Is that understood?”

Tamren bit back a smile and gave a deferential nod of the head instead. Kevan seemed momentarily satisfied until she spoke. 

“My appointment is as your personal bodyguard, Mr Lannister. I will do my best to be as discrete as possible but my orders are that I should be at your side at all times. Judging by what happened to your brother there are some disgruntled persons out there for whom you are now the most obvious target.”

Tamren watched his jaw working to contain his frustration. 

“Ms Rivers, my brother was poisoned at a company dinner so unless you intend to drink my wine and prepare my every meal you cannot possibly provide any protection I do not already have.”

Tamren acknowledged his words as he turned away from her, gathering up his jacket lying discarded over the back of the uncomfortable looking metal chairs.

“I can’t say I’m much of a chef, Sir, but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”


	2. Chapter 2

Tamren’s bags were already laid out on a camp bed when she eventually arrived at the door to her new lodgings. 

She had been escorted through the winding corridors of the government buildings by an impossibly tall blonde woman by the name of Brienne Tarth who had introduced herself as the head of security for the government offices and marched them away from the meeting room so quickly Tamren barely managed to keep track of the route. 

The building itself was the perfect encapsulation of the financial district of King’s Landing city. The shell of a centuries old red brick keep had been transformed with metal and glass into a thoroughly modern parliament building with meeting rooms, debating chambers and countless offices alongside staff lodgings, and from the brief glance Tamren managed to get as they strode past, a huge function hall.

“I’ll need Mr Lannister’s itinerary sent over,” Tamren said as she inspected her own small room. 

The camp bed took up most of one side of the room, a desk and filing cabinets filling the other. It smelt musty and unused and it was a tight fit but serviceable enough, she thought.

“Of course,” Tarth responded in a cut glass accent. “Mr Lannister’s rooms are on this floor and take up most of the wing. He will be leaving to visit his brother at eight am tomorrow morning. Please meet me in the lobby at six for a security induction.”

With that she ducked through the low frame of the doorway and disappeared down the corridor.

Tam unpacked her kit, briefly wondering where her colleague had been lodged. As far as she knew the Minister of finance did not have a residence within the Keep and Kevan’s being here was only a temporary fix until such time as his brother was considered fit and well enough to return. She’d consider it a blessing if she wouldn’t be running into Bronn any time soon.

Kevan had stalked away at some pace after their words in the meeting room and despite her promise to stick close to his side Tamren had watched him go flanked by two of the company guards. He didn’t seem likely to leave the offices tonight, she’d thought, but she anticipated his bad mood would continue into tomorrow.

She turned to her belongings and did a quick itinerary of her gear to check nothing was missing. She assumed everything would have been checked through by the Keep’s security team and sure enough, though carefully re-packed, it was clear her cases had been rifled through.

Something about how little external sound penetrated the room made her uneasy she noted as she moved to unpack her gun case, methodically stripping down and checking over the weapon before replacing the weapon in its holster and hanging it over the back of a chair within easy reach. Ideally she’d have liked to get a tour of Kevan’s space at this point to allow her to plan for different scenarios but it was clear it would be some time before she would be near his private rooms.

For the time being Tamren decided to focus on reviewing the files the Iron Bank had supplied her with, listing various potential threats to the family as well as the profile of her new charge. She settled back at the desk and booted up her laptop, gun close at her side.

 

 

Kevan collapsed into his office chair and fought the urge to put his head in his hands. How had it come to this?

In moments of struggle and uncertainty throughout his life his rallying thought had always been what would Tywin do? He supposed his brother would have outright refused the imposition of the Iron Bank or figured out some clever way to twist the situation to his favour, but Kevan found he didn’t have the energy for it and when it all came down to it, he needed their help more than he needed to protect his wounded pride. And after all, if Tywin were here none of this would be happening.

He was roused from him frustrations by sudden vibration of his phone against the polished wood of his desk and he thumbed in the code to unlock the device. Kevan felt a tinge of guilt as he realised it was a message from Lancel. In all the mess over the last few days he had barely spoken to his son.

He scrolled through images of his son in a temple somewhere hot and sandy, selfies in market places and group shots in bars. At least he was having a good time, Kevan thought, although what had started out as a spiritual pilgrimage in his mother’s footsteps did appear to have turned into a slightly boozy gap year. He supposed he should probably be grateful for that. For a while he’d had a lingering fear that he would lose his son to the same strange religious fervour that had come to grip his ex-wife in recent years.

Kevan slipped his phone into his pocket and made his way out of the small office and into his living quarters, accepting that any attempt at work was doomed to fail at this point. Thoughts of Dorna still left him melancholy even a year after the divorce. 

Attempting to distract himself from that train of thought he turned up the volume on the television flickering away on the wall playing the nightly news. Kevan watched, hands in his pockets, as a shot of himself entering the Keep filled one corner of the screen.

“And after all the turmoil it seems today that the Premier’s team have drafted in some additional support in the form of the Iron Bank. The leader of the opposition, Miss Targaryen stated that their arrival at Parliament was further proof of the crumbling of power in the party and Joffrey Baratheon’s unsuitability to leadership.”

The image of himself was replaced with a brief clip of Joffrey’s challenger.

“With Mr Baratheon apparently off on holiday neglecting his duties its clear now more than ever that the real power in government lies with the Lannister brothers, and not even the competent one currently. This is why we will be standing on a platform of complete transparency as to -”

Kevan hit the mute button, frustration rising. He should have anticipated this he thought as he watched the interview play out. Of course they would twist this as further proof of Joffrey’s instability. Not that they were wrong. He was under no illusions as to his nephew’s political capabilities. But as much as Tywin was the true leader he didn’t cut quite the same media savvy, voter friendly figure. 

Kevan was ready to turn the television off and attempt to get some sleep when the interview ended abruptly and instead a quick clip played out of the party from the Iron Bank arriving at the Keep earlier in the day. He watched as Nestoris and his business partners ducked out of sleek black vehicles and were immediately flanked by the two security guards as they made their way towards the grand entrance doors of the lobby.

His new bodyguard stood closest to the cameras, ignoring the constant flashes of lenses and the shouting of assembled journalists. He watched as she scanned her environment and moved swiftly to keep herself between her employer and the scrum of press around them.

He drew his phone of his pocket and opened his contacts, tapping the call button.

“Jamie? Hi. Yes, I need you to pull up a personnel file for me. No, not one of ours, technically speaking. Mmmmm. A Ms Tamren Rivers, currently employed by the Iron Bank. Yes. Tomorrow is fine. Good night.”

 

 

By the end of the security briefing Tamren had warmed to Brienne Tarth. The initial cool veneer she presented when escorting Tamren to her room the day before was revealed to be a very good professional front that relaxed as they swapped war stories of working as women within the professional security industry. It seemed Tamren had a few more years experience over her compatriot but Ms Tarth’s military background had seen her progress rapidly through the ranks of private security to land her more recent position within the government security team. She’d started out just as the former Premier Robert Baratheon was forced to step down and seemed relatively unconcerned about the Iron Bank’s presence in parliament.

After they’d finished up getting her security permissions set up there had been a blur of paper work followed by the general handshakes with the few other guards around, most of whom were a few years older, male and a brick wall of testosterone. 

There’d been a brief respite from the scowls when Jamie Lannister had appeared. Apparently he had the final say on all security matters as the head of Company security though it was Brienne who took care of the day to day management within the government offices. Tamren filed away the fact that the previously all business Miss Tarth had actually cracked a smile when the golden haired young man had leant against the reception desk next to them.

She could see the appeal. He was all self confident smiles and unnervingly good looks whilst possessing a charm that was definitely lacking in his sister. That and he stood to inherit one of the largest fortunes in Westeros certainly didn’t hurt as well.

Jamie was in the middle of explaining to them about the plans for a campaign bus tour when the sounds of early morning traffic drifted into the lobby

“Perhaps tomorrow morning you’d be better off cycling behind,” an even tone cut through the cold morning air. Tamren turned with a frown to see Kevan Lannister looking as composed as it was possible to be whilst stood sweating in grey tracksuit trousers and t-shirt in the middle of the Keep’s fine red and gold furnishings. 

“Good morning, Sir,” she said, striding towards her charge. “I wasn’t aware you had started your day yet.”

Kevan’s companion, a heavy set, dark haired man was almost doubled over beside him. He appeared to roughly match Kevan in age but he was breathing hard and struggled upright as his gaze landed on Tamren’s polished boots.

“Who – who are you?” 

It might have been more intimidating had it not been forced out between gasped breaths. Tamren ignored the glare he was giving her under thick eyebrows, focusing her attention on Kevan who was wearing an imperious smile. 

“Trant, this is our new security hire, Ms Rivers.”

Tamren extended a hand to her colleague but didn’t take her eyes off Kevan as Trant gave her a brief, hard handshake.

“I understand Ms Tarth gave you my itinerary yesterday so you know I will be leaving in half an hour, please meet me at the car.”

With that he turned and headed to the lift, Trant trailing behind. Tamren waited half a second before falling into step behind them.

“Ms River’s I do not require an escort to my quarters,” Kevan threw over his shoulder without turning to look at her.

“Of course, Sir, I don’t doubt Mr Trant’s abilities.” She felt Trant’s glare as she halted beside them in front of the lift doors. “But I do need to gather some things from my room and your niece kindly gave me a room next to your own,” she reminded him as politely as possible.

 

 

Kevan ignored her comment. He knew it was childish but he was still feeling exceptionally pleased with himself for having shrugged off his new guard, if only briefly. His early morning runs were some of the only time he got somewhat to himself in his now busy days and it was such a relief to take the time to relax. Even if it did mean being trailed a few paces behind by a struggling and grunting Meryn Trant. 

“Do you run most mornings, Sir?” the younger woman asked eventually as the numbers on the lift display ticked downwards.

It was an innocent enough question but Kevan still found himself swallowing his irritation. She was just trying to do her job, he attempted to rationalise, and after all it was the Iron Bank and Tycho Nestoris with whom he true quarrel lay. He’d spent most of last night lying awake and going over the same issue in his head.

“I try to,” he said eventually.

Tywin had never approved of his running in the city, his older brother had always considered it somehow beneath the family to be seen sweating in sports clothes and preferred to use the cool air conditioned gym and indoor pool of Casterly tower. With considerably less of the public eye on him over the years, that hadn’t been such an issue for Kevan. Until now. The number of press following him had increased considerably over the last few weeks and he had to admit it was becoming an issue.

The lift pinged in the silence and the doors slid open. The younger guard waited for the two men to step inside before following and settling in at as respectable a distance from him as possible in the cramped confines of the lift.

“Floor six,” Trant growled unprompted from Kevan’s left. Kevan watched as Tamren swiped her card and keyed the floor number.

“And 3,” Kevan interjected before glancing over at the taller man beside him. Floor three was the staff gym, showers and break area.

“I believe Cersie requires an escort at eight thirty,” Kevan continued. “That should give you plenty of time to tidy yourself up.”

The other man gave him a nod, clearly dismissed. The lift jolted gently to a stop and Tamren was forced to step aside as Trant shouldered his way out into the corridor without a backwards glance.

“Please forgive your colleague his ill temper,” Kevan said as the doors slid shut and they were left alone for the first time since he had stormed away from her the night before. 

“Miss Tarth saw fit to assign him to my personal detail and I think it has been a while since Mr Trant had to complete a fitness assessment.”

Kevan kept his expression carefully neutral as he caught the younger woman’s eye in the mirrored walls. 

“I’m sure by the end of this job he will be fit enough to run a marathon then, Sir.”

Her tone was the mild, polite one she had used throughout all their limited interaction thus far but a hint of smile was reflected back at him and Kevan surprised himself when he laughed softly at her words. The run clearly had improved his mood, he thought.

“Meryn has been employed by the family for years and it hasn’t been a regular duty.” The lift slowed to a halt and he turned his attention to her properly as the doors slid open. 

“As I’m sure you are well aware I haven’t needed a personal escort until recently. Mr Trant had drawn the short straw on the morning shift.”

They stepped out into the corridor, Tamren taking a position beside him rather than the usual two steps behind of the company guards.

“I’ve always considered it one of the more preferable details on my previous jobs,” she said, her words warmer than before. Kevan raised an eyebrow. “Running rings around paparazzi with all those cameras,” she continued as they halted by the door to the office that was currently acting as her room.

“Well, I’m sure Mr Trant will get a reprieve sooner than he had expected then.”

Kevan left her with a brief smile and headed to his rooms making a mental note to chase up that file with Jamie later.

 

 

The drive to the private hospital was uneventful and the chauffer took a fairly direct route without being followed. But if Tamren had thought her first day would be a quiet one that was immediately proved wrong the moment they began to pull up to the gates of the private hospital building.

“Vultures,” Kevan muttered and Tamren turned from the blacked out window to watch her new charge glancing with distaste at the assembled press waiting for them to arrive. She couldn’t help but agree.

“Side entrance?” she directed the question to the driver but it was Kevan that responded.

“They’ll be waiting there as well. My press office informs me it looks better to face them head on.”

They’d barely spoken on the way over, Kevan focused on flicking through morning reports on his laptop and a seemingly endless flow of emails. The first thing that had surprised Tamren was that there was no press officer or PA accompanying them. Not even so much as an intern to hold his coffee as she’d seen many a wealthy business person do. She wondered if that was just the procedure for visits with his brother or whether he always kept such a small team around him.

As the car came to a halt she turned to him again and watched as he straightened his tie and brushed his hand through his hair once. She had seen the less than flattering assessment of his performance on the news report last night and was aware that he was not held in particularly high regard by most of the media establishment. Still, he seemed remarkably calm for a man under so much pressure.

“Ready Sir?”

He nodded briskly and Tamren opened the door on her side, stepping out into light rain and the expected wall of noise.

“Mr Lannister! Mr Lannister, what is your brother’s prognosis?” “How long until Tywin will be back? “Any statement on the Iron Bank’s arrival?” “What do you say to Miss Targaryen’s claims that –“

Tamren shut out the noise automatically and held the door as Kevan emerged from the car. He paused very briefly to allow her time to fall into step just behind him and then strode quickly through the rain towards the glass doors already held open by the hospital’s own security. 

The click of cameras and yelling of the press faded to nothing as they stepped into the marble floored lobby and Tamren felt herself relax a little as Kevan stepped up to the huge curved desk to sign in. As they were issued with lanyards a young doctor emerged appeared, clip board in hand. 

“Mr Lannister, good to see you again,” she shook Kevan’s hand warmly and motioned for him to follow her down a corridor. “Your brother’s condition has improved considerably over the last few days. There is a good chance he will be able to return home sometime next week if we continue to see this level of recovery.”

Tamren kept a wider distance between herself and Kevan as he listened to the Drs update and they continued past private rooms down bright, airy corridors. The hospital reminded her of the rehab centres a couple of her previous charges had spent time in, all subtle light, greenery and just a faint tinge of clinical smell underneath it all. The staff were both impeccably polite, highly trained and far out of the price range of anyone outside of the wealthiest families of Westeros.

“I know he has been insistent upon being kept up to date with work but please do not over tax him, we’re still monitoring his blood pressure closely,” the Dr said with as they halted outside of a room.

Kevan gave her a resigned smile. 

“I’m sure by this point you’re well aware there’s very little that can be done if my brother sets his mind on something.” 

Tamren stepped to one side and took up a position against the wall, watching as the Dr nodded her agreement before knocking lightly on the door.

“Enter,” a firm voice responded.

Kevan gave her a brief look as the door was opened.

“You will wait outside.” 

 

 

Kevan stepped past the Dr and his bodyguard into the bright, white room they had moved his brother too now that he was off most of the various machines that had been monitoring his health. Images of the intensive care room, frantic medical staff and the lights of the ambulances flicked rapidly through Kevan’s mind as he remembered the aftermath of the poisoning.

All of this was brushed aside in an instant when his eyes landed on his brother sat tense and upright in a chair by the open doors leading to a small private courtyard. Tywin glanced past him as Kevan heard the door click shut.

“You’re out of bed?”

“And you have company,” Tywin responded, ignoring his comment. “The Iron Bank are with you?”

Kevan frowned at his brother. The colour was back in skin and he looked stronger than he had for a long time but his face was still more gaunt than usual and there were deep black shadows under his eyes. Still, he thought, his own reflection was looking remarkably similar these days.

“No, they returned to their hotel last night. I am under strict instructions from your Drs not to bring you more work.”

Tywin arched a severe eyebrow and nodded in the direction of the door.

“Then why is one of their company with you?” When Kevan didn’t respond immediately he continued, “I saw the news report last night. Who is she?”

“Ahh, that is my new bodyguard. A gift from the Bank.”

Tywin frowned.

“And you accepted?”

Kevan sighed and pulled up another chair opposite his brother. It was remarkably warm despite the light drizzle continuing outside.

“They made it quite clear it was a condition of their ongoing support for the campaign. Apparently there is some concern for my safety.”

Tywin snorted softly.

“I doubt you need be concerned, Kevan. Whoever it was almost certainly got what they wanted when they put me in this place.”

There was a bit of Kevan that felt he should probably take some offence at that but he shrugged it off as he always had with the knowledge that his brother was probably correct. Still, it did sting a bit.

“Either way, I now have a shadow to ensure I don’t end up in the room next door. The Dr informs me you may well be returning to us soon?”

Tywin nodded, hands testing on the arm rests of his chair as he watched the rain bouncing off the paving stones of the courtyard.

“I am perfectly well enough to get back to work now but they insist on running further tests. They seem to forget who is paying them.”

Kevan smiled, at least some of Tywin’s fire seemed to be returning.

“And how are things proceeding? All that useless news coverage will tell me is what restaurant Joffrey has eaten in or what hotel he has checked into.” 

“Thankfully. The PR from his holiday has been very positive for us after everything recently. We should be grateful for it.”

Kevan did his best over the next hour to update Tywin on everything pertinent whilst rose tinting it as much as his brother would allow him to get away with. Tywin was not an easy man to deceive and Kevan needed his advice regardless of what the Drs might say. 

It was heartening to see his brother’s usual argumentative vigour return over the course of their conversation. It had not been so long ago that they had all feared he may never return to his old sharp witted self.

As Kevan wrapped up and stood to leave Tywin motioned him over closer to his chair.

“How is Jamie fairing?”

Kevan frowned. They’d agreed not to discuss Jamie’s personal investigation into who was behind the attack whilst Tywin was still in the hospital. As private as their surroundings may seem these sorts of places were frequently targeted by journalists looking for a fresh story. Kevan had stayed away from the investigation but knew much of Jamie’s methods were less than legal and his contacts not to be associated with either the company or the government.

“Well, as far as I know,” Kevan offered cautiously. “His side of business and my own do not come into contact all that often. I know he is working hard and very much looking forward to your return.”

Tywin nodded, seemingly satisfied.

“Well, I shall not keep you any longer then. I’m sure you have much more important things to attend to,” Tywin said through a tight smile. Kevan shook his hand briefly, the grip definitely tighter than the last time he’d visited.

“Oh, and Kevan?”

Kevan turned as he reached the door.

“Let the Bank know I will be available to speak with them before the end of next week.”

Kevan made his assurances before stepping out into the corridor and mentally preparing himself for a busy day.


	3. Chapter 3

Patience was one of the defining virtues of a good bodyguard Tamren knew, and it was possibly the only one she still hadn’t got used to in all the years of standing sentry in corridors outside meeting rooms and in shady corners of halls. So it was with some relief that she heard the door opening to the private hospital room and watched as Kevan made to step out.

He was still finishing a conversation with Tywin and over his shoulder she caught a glimpse of the older Lannister brother she heard so much about. His hawk like gaze landed on her briefly and Tamren made sure to look away deferentially even as she felt his stare burning into her. The man managed to be intimidating even in hospital pyjamas. 

Moments later they were striding away. Kevan somehow seemed more tense than he had before they’d arrived but he made a point of shaking hands with the medical staff and thanking them before they left. 

In the car on the way back to the Keep Tamren watched for tailing paparazzi, Kevan apparently doing the same as he gazed out the tinted windows. The prevailing mood around the man seemed to be one of controlled frustration so far but she hadn’t missed that he still managed to be considerably politer to the staff around him than most of the wealthy men and women she’d had the pleasure of working for.

“Your brother is doing well, Sir?” she asked eventually, confident they weren’t being followed and close enough to the Keep now that it wouldn’t matter.

Kevan frowned, his earlier apparent good mood with her having taken a downturn. 

“He is.”

Discretion was another virtue but Tamren knew Nestoris would expect an update on Tywin’s condition if he hadn’t already been able to buy one from a source at the clinic so she ploughed on regardless.

“I’m glad to hear it, Sir.” Kevan’s frown deepened and she continued. “If he is able to return to work next week then that should make life easier for both of us.”

“How long have you worked for the Bank?” he asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

It was rare an employer cared much about her past beyond occasional digging for gossip on previous clients but it was clear already that working for Kevan Lannister was going to be very much unlike her previous jobs. 

The car turned left smoothly and began to climb the hill towards the Keep. Kevan was giving her an impatient look and Tamren, wary about where this was leading, gave him a smile and decided the truth was the easiest course of action.

“Four years.”

“And you’re happy working for them?”

Kevan was watching her carefully and Tamren realised that she might have somewhat underestimated him. He might not appear as intimidating as his older brother but he was still a shrewd businessman.

She weighed her words carefully before responding. 

“Its steady work and well paid.”

Kevan’s gaze was suddenly more piercing than she would have expected it could be.

“And what is your opinion of Mr Nestoris?”

Now she could see where this was going. Kevan didn’t take his eyes off her while he waited silently for her response.

“He is much like any other financier. His loyalty is to the Bank alone rather than any particular client or employee. He’s a demanding boss and he trusts no one as far as I can tell.”

Kevan did not smile but eventually his features relaxed a little and he gave her a nod as he considered her response. Tamren waited in silence as the car slowed and they paused briefly at the check point to the garage under the Keep. Behind the open divider she saw the driver lean out the window to reply to the intercom.

“You don’t like him much then?” the older man asked eventually, tone lighter than before.

Tamren weighed her words carefully.

“He’s my boss. It’s as simple as that.”

Apparently that had been the correct answer as she got a brief laugh from Kevan as they descended the ramp into the floodlit basement. 

“I’ll take that as a no then,” he said.

 

Kevan spent the majority of the rest of the day flitting between meetings with various departments, always accompanied between them by his new shadow, though she remained outside the room. It was getting towards early evening when he finally dismissed her with the promise that should he need to leave the Keep again today he would notify her in advance and she seemed satisfied at that. 

It wasn’t exactly unusual for him to have security staff around but it did feel strange having someone so focused on his safety in particular. He supposed this must be what his brother felt like all the time. 

Kevan found himself acutely conscious of her presence at his side in a way he wasn’t with the company security guards he’d been used to all his life, who mostly kept their distance. The Government security was a different matter he’d discovered upon ending up in this position after his brother’s poisoning. They hovered in the background and manned every entrance and exit and he was never more than a few metres away from a black clad, muscular presence at all times. Tamren felt different again. A slighter figure always visible in the corner of his eye, she stalked beside him with a surety that he had to admit gave him more confidence than Meryn Trant’s lumpen strides.

At one point Kevan had met with Mace Tyrell and the rest of the finance team which resulted in his new bodyguard standing sentry outside the office alongside her colleague Mr Blackwater. When he came to leave, Kevan noticed her otherwise impeccably calm mask had slipped and she was all but scowling at the other man who lounged against the wall and gave her a wink as he accompanied Mr Tyrell away. Clearly there was no love lost between any of the Bank’s employees.

Kevan relaxed back in his desk and scrolled through his inbox, ignoring unread messages from wealthy donors and requests for interviews from various journalists as he searched for anything from Jamie regarding his request for more information on Tamren. As he flicked through the messages something caught his eye in amongst the usual correspondence.

The subject line was “Your brother” and he didn’t recognise the address which was unusual given their screening process for inbound messages. Kevan clicked on the message with some hesitation and got a few seconds into reading the main body of the text before grabbing his phone.  
“Jamie? My office immediately. Bring Ms Tarth.”

 

 

Tamren was midway through a set of squats when she heard her phone buzzing away on the floor. She glanced down at the top of the rep to see the words Kevan Lannister flash across the screen and rapidly re-racked the bar.

“Sir?”

She hoped she didn’t sound out of breath as she wiped sweat away from her brow and waited for Kevan’s response.

“I need you at my office, now.”

He sounded calm but Tamren was sure he wouldn’t be asking for her without there being some serious concern. 

“Right away, Sir.”

He hung up before she could ask any further questions but she was moving before the call had even disconnected.

It was a short walk from the gym to lifts and Tamren all but ran the distance, hammering the call button impatiently as the numbers flashed upwards. When the doors finally slid open she nearly barrelled into Jamie and Brienne.

“Kevan’s office?” Jamie asked and Tamren didn’t miss the slight eye roll from Brienne.

“Obviously,” Brienne countered, moving aside to make room for Tamren to slide in. “Did he explain?”

Tamren shook her head suddenly wary.

“Threatening letter,” Jamie offered.

“Email,” Brienne cut in.

Jamie shot her a grin and a shrug

“Same thing.”

Tamren didn’t wait around long enough to hear Brienne’s response to that as the doors opened and she stepped out of the lift still running on the adrenalin of her workout and the sudden twinge of excitement at actually having something to do. 

She had to stride double quick to match Brienne’s longer strides, down the corridor past the entrance to her own small office room and towards the large grey double doors that lead into Kevan’s office.

“Come in,” Kevan’s voice rang out from behind the door as she knocked once sharply and then stepped inside, Jamie and Brienne following on her heels.

Kevan was stood behind his desk, laptop open in front of him and back to a huge floor to ceiling window that currently had the blinds closed on it blocking out the miserable evening weather.

“Thank you for coming so quickly,” he said, turning the laptop to face the three of them. “I haven’t touched the computer since opening the message but it doesn’t seem to have had any viruses within it.”

“We’ll have the cyber security team look over it,” Tamren heard Brienne say next to her as her eyes scanned the message.

It was both brief and blunt enough in its threat to Kevan’s life that it could have just been a disgruntled member of the public spewing the usual hate in a public figure’s direction but the specific reference to Tywin’s poisoning was enough to concern Tamren.

“The email address isn’t one you recognise at all?” she asked, looking up to see Kevan watching her.

“No,” he replied. “We have a screening system that should have filtered external addresses not on the approved list from being able to contact this inbox.”

Tamren nodded. Brienne had briefly run her through the electronic security protocols the previous day. Either the address had been hacked or someone with access to the internal servers had sent the message.

The four of them seemed to draw the same conclusion all at once as there was a sudden burst of activity.

“I’ll run the computer to the cyber team if that’s alright Sir?” Brienne said and Kevan gave her a nod.

“One moment.”

Tamren pulled her mobile from her pocket and snapped a photo of the message open on the screen. 

“Just in case we need to review the wording at all,” she offered, dropping her phone back in her gym shorts and nodding to Brienne as the bigger woman swept up the laptop.

“I’ll get the security cameras checked and sweep the building,” Jamie offered, turning to follow Brienne from the office. “I trust you’ll deal with the situation here?” he directed to Tamren. She gave him a nod and then suddenly found herself left alone with Kevan Lannister.

In her sweaty gym kit. In his office.

Tamren squared her shoulders and attempted to ignore the sweat still trickling down her chest as she looked over at him. Up until now he had seemed impeccably calm for a man who had just received a death threat but he now seemed to be avoiding looking in her direction.

“We’ll need to get someone posted outside your office and living quarters at all times. I’ll take first watch until Jamie has been able to review the footage,” she said, glancing around her to assess the security of the office.

Besides the enormous window that would allow for what she knew would be an incredible view, his office was strangely sparse. The large black desk he was stood behind was almost the only feature besides a couple of comfortable chairs and a single, hardy, potted plant. On one wall hung a large flat screen television currently playing a rolling news broadcast on mute. A certificate for a degree in economics hung on the other wall alongside a handful of professional qualifications. A single photograph of a sports team containing a much younger Kevan Lannister was the only image she could see but a picture frame with its back to her on his desk took up almost as much space as his laptop had occupied. 

Satisfied there was nothing that immediately posed a risk she turned back to Kevan.

“If you’re ready to return to your living quarters, Sir, I’d like to look them over to review their security?”

 

 

Kevan knew it wasn’t really a request but for the first time since she had arrived he didn’t feel his usual twinge of annoyance at her imposition of his space. Instead he felt a surprising sense of reassurance at her firm tone. Or that might have been down to the fact that now she was out of her usual sharp suit and in a pair of shorts and vest top he could see just how much muscle her slim frame was carrying. His bodyguard had the build of a boxer and he suspected probably the punch of one too.

He realised he might have been looking a little too long and glanced away, waving a hand in the direction of the door in a gesture that he hoped conveyed that she should lead the way.

Tamren stuck close beside him as they left the office. In this close proximity Kevan reckoned he could feel the heat radiating off her body after her exertions. As they approached the door to his personal living space, she slipped her key card from her pocket and without asking, swiped it against the pad. The light blinked green once and then there was soft click as the lock opened. She looked a little surprised it had actually worked.

“Stand to one side please.”

He did as she asked and moved to stand against the wall as unarmed and tensed she opened the door and stepped inside leaving him alone in the corridor. 

He was only alone for a few minutes then her voice rang out from within his quarters.

“All clear.” 

He hadn’t been expecting any other response despite the threat but did feel a slight sense of relief as he stepped inside. Tamren was moving around the room, apparently assessing the access to his balcony.

“I’ll speak to Jamie about a list of everyone who has key card access to this room,” she said, eyes roaming over every surface in a way that left him feeling almost as awkward as if he had been stood there half dressed. Kevan was suddenly very aware of how unfurnished and untidy his living space was.

“Jamie, Ms Tarth, my brother and myself. And you, apparently,” he replied, watching as she finally turned back to look at him. 

“No other family with access?” she asked and he shook his head. 

“No one.”

She nodded at that and headed towards the open door to his bedroom. Kevan didn’t know whether to follow her or to continue standing there awkwardly in the centre of the room next to the coffee table. He settled for the latter as he waited for her to finish.

“Is there anyone else you would consider potentially at risk if this person were to target people close to you?” her voice carried through from the bedroom. Kevan tried not to think about the discarded pile of washing he was sure was still on the floor by his unmade bed.

“Besides my brother? No,” he replied.

“Not your son? Or your wife?”

He felt himself tense at her words.

“Ex-wife,” Kevan said, though he wasn’t sure where the impulse to clarify the situation had come from. He was sure Tamren would have read up on his personal situation. “No, they’re both out of the country,” he continued, trying to keep his tone neutral.

He could still hear her pacing around the bedroom and from the noise he guessed testing the locks on the inside of the door. Eventually she stepped out, sweeping loose strands of dark hair back from her face as she turned on the spot apparently doing one final check over of his space.

“We need to get the locks upgraded to the balcony, but otherwise I’m happy with this,” she said, finally ceasing her movements and facing him. Kevan nodded in reply. She was watching him carefully and he got the impression she was weighing something up.

“Do you have any idea who might have been behind the threat?” she asked eventually, her tone cautious. Kevan frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“If I did, do you not think I might have discussed this with you already?” he asked as if her question was ridiculous. She didn’t look entirely convinced.

“There are no leads on who poisoned your brother that I should be aware of?”

Kevan held her gaze.

“Absolutely not,” he lied.

“I’m not interested in passing anything on to Mr Nestoris,” she started, her hands raised in a placating fashion that immediately riled him. “I’m purely concerned for your safety, Sir. I need to -”

“No, Ms Rivers,” he cut her off firmly. She dropped the subject and they stood silent for a moment until eventually she shrugged and gave him a smile.

“Well, either way I think it best I accompany you tomorrow morning. What time will you be leaving?”

Kevan didn’t immediately grasp her meaning, she had his itinerary and he had no morning meetings outside of the Keep.

“Also, we should switch up your usual route and perhaps have Mr Trant follow in the car. That might suit him better?”

She was looking at him expectantly as the penny finally dropped and Kevan realised she was referring to his morning run. There was a long moment where he weighed up arguing that he would be fine on his own before he gave in, realising there was little way of getting around her following him in one form or another. 

“Six thirty,” he said eventually and she nodded once, digging her phone out of the pocket of her really rather short, shorts.

“Great. I’ll let Mr Trant know his new assignment and meet you here tomorrow morning.”

With that she turned on her heal and headed for the door before Kevan could think of an appropriate response.

“If you need anything, I’ll be outside until a replacement guard arrives. Good night, Sir.”

As the door shut behind her Kevan sat heavily on the sofa and let out a sigh of frustration. It seemed he wouldn’t get a moment’s peace until his brother returned.

 

 

As it was Tamren had stood sentry until past midnight before one of Jamie’s trusted company guards had been available to relieve her and she’d finally been able to shower and get out of her gym kit.

It was only a few hours later that was she back up, dressed in fresh sports gear and stood outside Kevan Lannister’s door waiting for him to emerge.

Tamren hadn’t slept well. It’s was less the threat itself that was bothering her than the nagging sense that Kevan knew something more about it and was declining to share the information. She knew she had to work harder to win his trust if this assignment was going to work out. And if that meant cutting Nestoris out of things then it would work out better for the Bank in the long run. 

Kevan emerged a few moments after she knocked and judging by the dark circles around his eyes he hadn’t slept any better. Although she couldn’t help but notice he did look surprisingly trim in his shorts and t-shirt for a man his age.

“Ready, Sir?”

The building was surprisingly busy already as they made their way down to the lobby, discussing their run route as they went. The domestic staff that kept the government offices running were already hurrying about the place setting up meeting rooms and cleaning corridors. Kevan greeted a few of them by name as they passed and Tamren was surprised to see how many of the staff seemed genuinely happy to see him.

“Where is Mr Trant?” Kevan asked eventually as they stepped out onto the pavement in the cool morning air. For the first time since she’d arrived in the city Tamren noted it had actually stopped raining.

She tapped her earpiece and nodded to a sleek black car idling at the end of the road.

“He’ll be following the route at a distance.”

Kevan seemed satisfied with that.

“You set the pace, Sir,” she offered and Kevan set off.

If she had been surprised by his figure she had to admit she was also quite impressed by his pace. It was nothing she couldn’t manage without breaking a sweat but they made good time on the three mile route he’d chosen.

Kevan Lannister was a completely different man out of the office she quickly realised. Prior to meetings and interviews and before any news had managed to rile him up he was quick to laugh and offered easy smiles. In the early portion of the run Tamren asked him questions about the various landmarks they passed, initially in order to assess his breathing and see how hard he was pushing himself and then when it became clear he was considerably fitter than she’d expected, simply because it was surprisingly enjoyable to listen to him relate anecdotes about the city. 

She suspected there was a certain amount of pride pushing him to carefully control his breathing as he continued the conversation beside her and after a mile she decided to test it a little by upping the pace slightly. He didn’t waver in his steps beside her but his words did start to become a little more forced and she could tell he was exerting himself now. He didn’t comment or attempt to slow them down though she did notice him glancing over in her direction more frequently.

“I’d have lost Trant a mile back,” Kevan said, now breathing hard as they started up an incline back towards the Keep.

Tamren tried not to feel smug about that but he did sound genuinely impressed. It wasn’t always easy being a woman in an industry dominated by large men and their buddy network. She knew she always had to be fitter, work harder and think smarter even to be accepted as their peers, but her rigorous fitness training had always allowed her to stand out from the pack. 

For some reason she couldn’t quite place Tamren found herself wanting to stand out to this man in particular.

 

 

As they rounded the corner and the entrance to the Keep came into view, Kevan gradually slowed the pace until they were walking the last few metres. He kept his breathing slow and controlled in an attempt to recover himself as beside him his bodyguard touched her ear piece and let Trant know he could return the car to the garage. Her words were unhurried and if he hadn’t just covered the distance with her beside him he’d have thought all she’d done was walk round the block given how unaffected she seemed by their pace.

As he caught himself scrutinised his younger bodyguard’s appearance Kevan found himself nearly averting his gaze in embarrassment as she turned to him with a grin.

“Impressive pace, Sir. Have you always worked out?”

He knew she was just making small talk. Of course she was. Just complementing her employer to keep him in a good mood, he rationalised. Still, if he stood a little taller and drew his stomach in a little it was because the run had invigorated him, he thought, not because his attractive guard was smiling beside him as they climbed the steps to the entrance.

“I played rugby at University and for a while after.”

He was gratified to see she looked impressed by that but he didn’t get a chance to elaborate any further as their cool down was interrupted by the arrival of the finance minister and his own security guard.

“Ahh, good morning, Kevan. Been for the morning constitutional have we?”

Kevan fought the urge to roll his eyes as Mace Tyrell clapped him on the back with a grin. The wet slap the Minister’s palm made as it connected with him left Kevan suddenly very conscious of just how sweaty he was.

“You’re exceptionally early,” he replied through gritted teeth, catching his bodyguard’s eye and seeing her supress a smile.

Mace removed his hand, not so subtly wiping his palm on his suit trousers as they made their way through the doors of the lobby currently held open by Mr Blackwater and Tamren. Kevan gave her a nod of thanks and she moved off ahead of him, digging her key card out of her shorts as she led them to the lifts.

“Oh yes, well I wanted to be here when the Premier returned from his holiday. And I have to say I’m glad I did, it rather seems you got the better end of the deal with our assigned guards,” Mace said, eyes roaming over Tamren from behind. Kevan felt his displeasure rise at the shorter man’s words.

“Mr Blackwater is a fine guard but ahh, certainly not as easy on the eye” Mace continued and winked in a way that made Kevan feel uncomfortable on his guard’s behalf, an odd urge to defend her rearing in the back of his mind. He shook it off and motioned for the other man to enter the lift ahead of him.

“Joffrey isn’t due back for a while yet. I believe Jamie is due to meet his party at the airport later this afternoon.”

Kevan was conscious it was a tight fit in the lift for the four of them and he was definitely in need of a shower at this point. Tamren, presumably also trying to avoid contact with the Minister and his guard, was almost pressed to his side though she had to reach across Bronn to key in their floor.

“S’alright love, what number you need?”

Her colleague made no attempt to cover his smirk as he blocked her access and swiped his own pass.

Tamren paused and gave him an odd smile.

“Six,” she said eventually. Kevan noted she was back to the carefully neutral tone she’d used the last few days rather than the easy, relaxed manner she’d had on the run with him.  
Bronn keyed the number. Nothing happened. He frowned and swiped his pass again, tapping the key pad repeatedly. The a high pitched tone beeped out at them repeatedly until Mace Tyrell coughed uncomfortably and began pressing the key himself.

Kevan glanced over at his guard stood inches from him and caught the cheeky glint in her eye as she watched the two of them struggle with the pass. Eventually she reached out again, swiping her own pass and thumbing in the number. There was a single beep and the lift began to rise.

“All non-essential access to the floor was revoked last night,” she said after settling back into position tight by his side. 

The lift slowed to a halt and she turned to him fully now, back to Bronn and Mr Tyrell. “After you, Sir.”

Kevan didn’t comment but stepped out ahead of her with a nod to the finance minister who was looking flustered as he attempted to key in the floor to his office. Kevan paused a moment to allow Tamren to fall into step beside him.

“What is the issue with you two?” Kevan asked as they headed down the corridor, the doors sliding shut behind them.

Tamren looked over in his direction, her expression inscrutable.

“He’s an arsehole, Sir.”

Kevan nearly broke his stride beside her. Tamren’s expression cracked into a small smile and he couldn’t help laughing and nodding in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh sorry for the long delay. I've made the cardinal sin of skipping ahead and writing a tonne of fun bits for later chapters which massively slowed me down with this one. Chapter 4 is already outlined and in progress. It should be up a bit quicker than this one! Reviews are the fuel that keep me writing so let me know what you thought.


	4. Chapter 4

“Please ensure any unusual behaviour is reported immediately - no matter how small - particularly if seen in and around Mr Lannister or Premier Baratheon’s quarters.”

Tamren watched the roomful of men listening with rapt attention to Brienne Tarth. She was stood in front of the huge touch screen currently displaying the rota for who would be taking shifts at various points around the building. 

“Ms Rivers is first point of contact for anything considered an immediate risk to Mr Lannister. She will be with him at all times when outside of the Government buildings,” Brienne continued and Tamren felt the black and grey suited bodies turn their attention back to her now. They had listened attentively as she had talked them through the new security procedure for Kevan but the way Brienne held their attention and clearly their regard, left Tamren slightly in awe of the taller woman. She commanded a room like she was born to it just as much as any of the high ranking ministers and officials working in the government offices. 

“And for Gods sake ensure you’re contactable at all times. I don’t want to hear any excuse about batteries running low or no signal,” Brienne continued, a pointed look to a red faced and round bodied guard Tamren had recently learnt was Mr Boros Blount. “I need everyone on high alert, is that understood?”

As Brienne finished speaking the roomful of security personnel murmured their ascent. Stood next to her at the front of the room, Tamren watched as Brienne look over the assembled guards, scrutinising their response. 

“Good. Those of you assigned to the Premier’s motorcade please wait here, Jamie will be along shortly to brief you. The rest of you have your assignments for the day.” 

As most of the men began to filter out Brienne turned her attention to Tamren.

“The Cyber team didn’t find any viruses on the laptop so they should be getting it back to Kevan this morning.”

Tamren nodded. Jamie had been in touch already to say nothing unusual had shown up on the security footage and it seemed no one had any leads on the origin of the email. The lack of information was making them all feel increasingly concerned the message could have come from a member of staff.

“I should get back to Kevan, the guard on his floor seemed a bit inexperienced,” Tamren said as the two of them stepped out into the hallway together.

“Podrick? Oh don’t let his age fool you, he’s a very good close protection officer. He served under me a few years ago.” 

Brienne was smiling in a way which suggested to Tamren there was a lot more to that story that she should try to find out.

“Which regiment did you serve with?” Brienne continued as they made their way past a line of offices.

“I haven’t been in the military,” Tamren replied.

Brienne looked surprised. “Really? Unusual for this industry. How did you end up as a bodyguard?”

Tamren shrugged.

“My older brother, Tom, served and after he got out it was about the only industry he could find work in. He brought me in.”

“So you’re from a military family then?”

Tamren could feel herself tensing at the line of conversation.

“Only my brother. I wouldn’t know about the rest them, the two of us grew up in foster care. The military was my brother’s family.”

Brienne didn’t pursue that line of enquiry any further and Tamren left her at the lifts as she made her way back to Kevan. 

Tamren wasn’t ashamed of her family background, or her unusual route into the business, but she really didn’t know anyone here or how they might react to it. She suspected Brienne, even with her military experience and clipped posh accent, would be more understanding than most, but now didn’t feel like the right time to get into it with the woman she admired.

Besides, she thought, if he was here, her brother would have reminded her to be wary even if she did feel like she could trust the people around her. Always keep your guard up – that was the most important lesson he had taught her.

As she exited the lift onto the sixth floor, Tamren nodded to Podrick. The young man smiled back at her in a disarmingly innocent manner. If Brienne thought he was up to the task then Tamren was inclined to believe her but he really did look far too young for the job, she thought, as she made her way to Kevan’s office.

 

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of activity as Tamren accompanied Kevan to various last minute meetings prior to the Premier Joffrey’s return later that afternoon. 

They didn’t speak much but she thought Kevan seemed a lot more relaxed in her presence since their run. Certainly his irritability from the first day or so had disappeared. It was good, she thought, if she didn’t have to spend her time being cautious and tiptoeing around him then it meant she could focus completely on what was happening around them.

Tamren made a point of scrutinising his interactions with staff as he went about his tasks for the day, hoping to spot any signs of odd behaviour around him that might indicate a potential lead on the threat. But if she’d been hoping for any sense of obvious hostility or even indifference she was left disappointed. Kevan seemed generally well liked by the staff and Brienne had said as much when she’d discussed the threat with her before the morning security meeting.

“Since Tyrion left, he’s the easiest Lannister to work with, certainly,” she remembered Brienne saying. “Though I think in comparison to Tywin and Cersie almost anyone seems like a saint.”

Just to see her response Tamren had asked Brienne where Jamie fit on the sliding scale of Lannisters. Brienne had gone quiet briefly.

“He’s arrogant, self-centred and impulsive. But he is very good at his job. I think most would agree Kevan is rather easier to get along with.”

Tamren kept this in mind as she stood close to Kevan’s side at the front of a small crowd of ministers waiting in the lobby for the Premier to enter. 

If the voice in her earpiece hadn’t informed her that the motorcade had pulled up at the steps below and Joffrey would soon be with them then Tamren thought she would have been able to guess purely from the way the tension was rising around them. 

Opposite where she and Kevan were waiting, she could see the assembled party of the Iron Bank, Tycho Nestoris stood front and centre. Tamren was uncomfortably aware that he was focused in her direction but she avoided making eye contact. She hadn’t been in touch with him since the first night she had arrived at the Government offices and she knew they were overdue for a catch up.

“Out of my way, out of my way!”

A furious voice cut through her thoughts and the murmuring of the assembled crowd. Tamren turned to see bodies parting in front of a wave of anger and blond hair in the form of Cersie Lannister.

 

 

Kevan felt Tamren’s shoulder connect with his own as she was jostled aside by a scowling Meryn Trant and Cersie elbowed her way into place beside him. Kevan pointedly ignored his niece and glanced over at his bodyguard as she moved swiftly into position at his other side. Her stance had been rigid and expression neutral from the moment they had arrived in the lobby and judging by her fixed stare in any direction other than the Iron Bank’s party, he suspected that had something to do with it.

“Uncle, why was I not informed of my son’s early return?” Cersie hissed beside him. Kevan turned his head in her direction finally.

“Plans were rescheduled after an incident last night. If your brother chose not to inform you then you should take it up with him.”

Her lip curled into something barely resembling a smile on her cold features.

“Ahh yes, I heard about your little message from an admirer. Not to worry Uncle, I can’t imagine you of all people being particularly high on anyone’s list of priorities. Not with Father recovering so quickly.”

Kevan ignored her jibe, turning back to face the entrance of the lobby as the doors opened and the first of the Premier’s guards filtered in.

There was a hush over the group of ministers as Joffrey, flanked on one side by his personal guard, Sandor Clegane and on the other by the graceful figure of Margery Tyrell, finally entered the Keep. Margery was practically beaming as they made their way towards the small crowd, Joffrey wearing his ever present smirk that reminded Kevan so much of his mother.

“Premier Joffrey, it is so good to have you back!” Mace Tyrell said as Joffrey halted in front of the group. Out of the corner of his eye, Kevan could see the finance minister practically bouncing on his toes with excitement as he grasped Joffrey’s hand and shook it repeatedly.

“Minister, it’s good to see you,” Joffrey replied.

Kevan thought the young man’s decorum had improved considerably under Tywin’s strict tutelage but he could still detect the sarcastic edge to his tone creeping through.   
Another trait he seemed to have inherited from his mother who stepped forward and embraced her son.

“Joff, I hope you’ve enjoyed your time away. We’re all so happy to have you back,” Cersie said.

That was a spectacular lie, Kevan thought. Most of the assembled staff had breathed a sigh of relief when the petulant young Premier had declared he was taking a few weeks break away from the Capital. Mind you, he suspected they had done much the same when informed Tywin wouldn’t be returning for some time.

“Uncle Kevan, thank you so much for taking charge whilst Joff has been away. We appreciate this hasn’t been an easy time for you.”

It was Margery who acknowledged him first, taking his hand lightly and flashing him that elegant smile that had captured the imagination of the Kings Landing press. Introducing she and Joffrey had been one of the best decisions his nephew Tyrion had made before he had left, Kevan thought as he watched her turn her attention to her father now. She definitely took the edge off of Joffrey’s sour expression as he finally turned it upon Kevan.

“Uncle. I understand you have made some arrangements with the Iron Bank?”

So Cersie had been keeping him informed then, Kevan surmised. It was to be expected of course, she had been furious when Tywin had demanded that his brother and not his daughter should take charge of the campaign in his absence.

“I have. There is a meeting schedule for tomorrow so we can bring you up to speed on everything that has happened whilst you have been away.”

Joffrey scowled. Kevan knew from experience the young man never paid attention in meetings. Interviews he was happy with and smiling and waving to assembled crowds of press and voters was his most comfortable territory. Even giving speeches was his preference over having to actually conduct any Government business. Still, as much as the experience would be equally as tortuous for Kevan and the other Ministers involved, it would have to be done if he was to avoid being caught out by any questions the Bank or Press might ask.

From behind the Premier, Kevan noted Tycho Nestoris and his colleagues approaching across the marbled floor of the lobby. Once he realised they were there, Joffrey immediately turned his attention away from Kevan.

“Premier Joffrey, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Nestoris’ tone almost matched Joffrey’s for carefully concealed contempt, though Kevan thought the older man hid it rather better under a practiced veneer of civility. Next to him, he felt Tamren tense further if that was at all possible given her already rigid stance.

“Joffrey, this is Mr Nestoris, the Iron Bank’s emissary –“ Kevan started.

“Mr Nestoris has graciously agreed to support your election campaign,” Cersie cut in as she moved in front of Kevan to greet the Bankers. Kevan did his best not to grind his jaw in frustration at his nieces’ imposition.

“Indeed,” Nestoris continued, shaking hands with Joffrey before kissing Margery’s hand. Kevan felt his skin crawl at the man’s smile but if she was uncomfortable Margery didn’t let it show. “If we could have some time scheduled with you tomorrow, Mr Baratheon, I would be happy to talk you through how we hope our finances may benefit you. Once you have both had a chance to settle back into your busy schedules, of course.”

Joffrey and Nestoris continued to exchange pleasantries and diplomatic speak for a few minutes whilst arrangements were made for a meeting the following day. Eventually Joffrey excused himself from the group, he and Margery with Cersie now in tow, continuing on towards the lifts. Suddenly Kevan was aware of Nestoris turning his attention back to him. Or was it to his bodyguard stood silent beside him, he wondered. 

“Mr Lannister, I’m glad to see you are doing well. I heard an unfortunate rumour about a message you had received?”

Kevan tensed. Nestoris’ features were full of faux concern as he stood before him, hands clasped in front of his elaborately embroidered jacket.

“It’s being dealt with, thank you for your concern,” Kevan replied carefully.

Nestoris smiled and nodded in Tamren’s direction. “Nothing Ms River’s can’t handle, of course.”

Tamren barely acknowledged the man’s words and Kevan got the feeling he should end this conversation as quickly as possible.

“I’m afraid I have a few things to attend to. If you’ll excuse me, Mr Nestoris.”

Kevan made to leave, expecting Tamren to fall into step beside him.

“Of course. If I might borrow your guard for just a moment, Sir?”

“Mr Lannister requires close protection at all times currently,” Tamren responded quickly. It was the first Kevan had her speak since they had arrived in the lobby.  
Nestoris’ smile was tight and predatory as he focused his attention on her fully.

“I’m sure another guard will be adequate for escorting him from the floor. Five minutes please, Ms Rivers.”

 

 

Tamren stood rigid, waiting for Kevan’s response. The older man seemed thoughtful for a moment, a frown creasing his features as he looked over at her. For a second she thought he might refuse Nestoris’ request. But eventually he dismissed her with a nod.

“Please meet me in my office when you are done, Ms Rivers.”

He turned and left, motioning to one of the grey suited young guards stood around the edge of the lobby to follow him. Tamren watched the way the guard fell into step at what she felt was a pace too far behind Kevan and felt an immediate twinge of annoyance and concern.

“Please make this quick, Sir,” she said, turning back to Nestoris as the lift doors closed and Kevan was lost from view. “I really should remain with him at all times currently.”

All pretence of affability fell away from Nestoris face.

“What you should be doing is sending me a daily report on Mr Lannister’s dealings. Why did I have to hear about this email from Mr Blackwater only a few hours ago?”

Tamren tried to keep her tone as calm as possible but mentally she was judging how long it would take to get from the lobby to Kevan’s sixth floor office should something happen.

“It wasn’t necessary for you to know. If I contact you every time my charge receives a threat I’ll barely have any time to actually limit that threat to him.”

Nestoris ignored that.

“He met with Tywin yesterday, where was the report on that?”

Tamren narrowed her eyes.

“It was a private meeting. I wasn’t in the room.”

“And when will he next be returning to visit his brother?” Nestoris continued, coolly. “The Bank must remain one step ahead of their dealings if we are to retain control of the financial situation.”

“Disclosing Mr Lannister’s schedule would be a serious breach of his safety. As Tywin is not yet fit to return to office, my priority, as determined by you, is Mr Lannister’s wellbeing.”

Tamren knew she was on very thin ice but turned to leave. Standing there arguing with Nestoris whilst surrounded by government officials definitely wasn’t going to do her any favours.

“Please do not forget exactly who is your primary employer, Ms Rivers,” she heard Nestoris say to her back. Tamren ignored him and headed for the lift at a quick march.

 

 

Kevan had barely had time to boot up his laptop and take a seat behind his desk before there was a sharp knock on the door of his office.

“Come in.”

Tamren entered, closing the door carefully behind her and taking up an at ease position in front the desk, her hands folded behind her back. She was looking carefully composed again rather than relaxed and smiling as she had been since they had first met that morning. Kevan took that to mean something was wrong.

“Quite finished with your meeting?” he asked, watching her reaction. She didn’t so much as blink.

“Mr Nestoris expected an update.”

That was surprisingly honest he thought. Though she could hardly have offered anything else without it being a rather obvious lie.

“And you provided him with one?”

She shook her head and Kevan felt his frustration rising. With all the things he had to deal with at the moment, concerns over his closest staff were not what he wanted to be focused on.

“Is that so? And yet he seems to know rather a lot about my threat.”

“Bronn – Mr Blackwater, provided him with that information.”

Kevan raised an eyebrow.

“And you expect me to believe that you told him nothing further?”

“Correct, Sir.” She didn’t take her eyes off him and Kevan was surprised with the force with which she delivered the words. “Mr Nestoris and I have very different views on what my priorities should be.”

Kevan considered that for a moment. 

“And should I be concerned at your willingness to ignore the orders of your superiors, Ms Rivers?”

If he was hoping to provoke a reaction she didn’t provide one.

“Mr Nestoris and I have a . . . uniquely difficult working relationship, Sir.”

“I’d never have guessed,” Kevan replied sarcastically. “I don’t suppose you wish to elaborate on that?”

“Not if I have a choice about it.”

He sighed and rubbed his temple. He could feel a headache building behind his eyes, threatening to make the rest of his day more of a misery than Joffrey’s return had inevitably turned it into. His laptop screen flashed notifications at him for incoming emails. More work.

When he eventually looked up, his guard was still watching him. Kevan held her gaze, though what he was searching for in it he couldn’t be sure.

“I want to trust you, Tamren,” he offered. “I don’t have much choice about it, given the circumstances.”

She nodded and finally relaxed a little.

“I can promise you, Mr Nestoris has not and will not receive any information regarding yourself from me. Despite his frustration, he wants you alive more than he wants intelligence.” Tamren said.

Kevan nodded and sat back in his chair, considering the young woman in front of him. He couldn’t quite place her age, he thought. When they’d first been introduced he’d assumed she might be in her late twenties, but the confidence and demeanour with which she carried herself suggested she might be older than he had first thought. He really must get that file from Jamie if he was to get a better understanding of the woman assigned to him, he thought.

Not that it mattered, he reminded himself, turning his attention back to his laptop. As long as she did her job and didn’t cause any issues for him along the way, why should he care?

“That will be all then, Ms Rivers. Please return to your post,” he said.

 

 

Over the next few days Tamren found they fell into an easy routine of morning runs followed by endless meetings and the odd visit to Tywin at the private hospital. Tamren avoided discussion of the Bank or Mr Nestoris, and besides seeing him briefly before taking up her post outside of the office to allow Kevan, Joffrey and Mace Tyrell to discuss further terms with them, Nestoris did not attempt to contact her.

Any residual awkwardness between her and Kevan following the discussion in his office seemed to dissipate the more miles they covered together each morning. His easy demeanour returned, and though she was careful to stick to her “Sirs” and “Mr Lannister’s” when they were around the other staff, when it was just the two of them jogging across the pavements and cutting through the park to dodge the press, he was happy enough for her to call him by his first name.

It was on the eighth day of running together, when he had invited her in for a coffee and to plan the following week’s routes, that Tamren realised their runs together seemed to be the only none work related activity in his life.

From the snippets of conversation she had caught and what he had disclosed to her in the car afterwards, his visits with his brother were almost always centred on the campaign. He got the odd message from his Son and he met with an endless array of Ministers, financiers and press but she’d yet to stand guard whilst he had a meal with a friend or did anything for himself. Tamren suspected the growing length of the routes he was planning might have something to do with it being the only time he truly got to relax.

“Milk? Sugar?”

Tamren looked up from Kevan’s laptop to see the man himself, still dressed in his shorts and slightly sweaty t-shirt, holding up a mug. 

“Black’s fine, thanks.”

He was currently stood in the tiny kitchenette area of his suite and fussing with a cafetiere in a way that suggested he rarely made anything other than instant coffee for himself. As Tamren clicked through the map of the city she was viewing, placing markers and checking distances, he made his way over to the sofa and took a seat beside her.

“I was thinking it might be nice to try and get down onto the beach itself,” he said, taking a sip of a milky coffee before setting the mug down carefully on the table. “What do you think?”

Tamren frowned and dragged the location marker over to the main promenade in Blackwater bay.

“That’s four miles just to get down there, bearing in mind we can’t just take a straight route,” she said, looking over at Kevan. He’d been pushing the pace more over the past couple of days but she suspected it was still too far. “Sure you’ve got the time?”

“Well, maybe one to save for if I can ever get a day off then,” he said ruefully, taking another swig of his coffee. Tamren took a sip of her own.

“I usually have a protein shake post workout,” she said, tapping in another route and trying to find somewhere more interesting to take them. Beside her she saw Kevan raise an eyebrow.

“Powders and pills, all seems a bit much if you ask me.”

“Better than the amount of fat you’re getting in that mug,” she shot back. “Did you want any coffee in that milkshake?”

“Are you suggesting I need to watch my waist-line, Tamren?”

His tone was light and teasing in a way she’d only recently discovered he could be. Tamren found she couldn’t help finding excuses to draw it out of him now she knew it was there. Especially when she knew he had a meeting with the Premier lined up in an hour’s time. Inevitably by midday he would be stressed and no longer smiling.

“No, Sir. I’d say you have a very athletic figure, for a gentleman of your age.”

She glanced over at him. Kevan’s eyebrows were threatening to disappear into his hairline in a way that left her wondering if she might have pushed a little bit too far. Then eventually he laughed and she relaxed, smiling over at him and turning the laptop towards him so he could see the route she had in mind.

Kevan had looked like he was about to reply when she suddenly saw his expression change. His features hardened, jaw set and eyes scanning over something, Tamren leant in closer to see what had caused his sudden shift in mood.

“Shit.”

Tamren felt her blood run cold and swore repeatedly as she reached for the laptop to scroll through the email he had received. Image after image of the two of them jogging alongside one another flashed across the screen. They spanned multiple different days and seemed to have been taken at a few points on each of their routes. There was no written message but the threat was very clear.

“It’s the same address as last time,” Kevan said quietly, all humour gone from his voice.

Tamren tore her gaze away from the images for a moment to look over at her boss. He didn’t look scared at all, more angry than anything, she thought as he met her eye. That was good, she supposed, so long as he was taking it seriously.

“You know this means no more morning runs,” she said carefully. “Not unless we take half the guards out with us.”

Kevan all but scowled, frustration evident in every line on his face. “I’m not going to let one ridiculous email dictate my life.”

“Two emails,” Tamren replied. His expression soured further and she felt her initial flash of fear replaced with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Kevan, but it’s not safe. You know I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if we just ignore this.”

He nodded. “I know, I know.”

He seeming to lose the energy he’d had all morning as he sat back against the sofa cushions and ran a weathered hand through his grey hair. Tamren thought that in that moment he suddenly appeared every one of his fifty four years. 

“Of course,” he muttered. “I couldn’t possibly have a few minutes to myself outside of this blasted building without it turning into some sort of issue.”

Tamren felt as disappointed as he looked. She knew Kevan relied on his morning workout to set the tone for the day and give him some space from the pressures he had taken on, but she had to admit she appreciated the time as well. It had given her an invaluable opportunity to get to know him more as well as improving their working relationship. It was often the only time they truly had to speak during the long working day. Though they’d only had their routine for a short while, she would miss it, she thought.

“You know,” she started, looking over at Kevan to see him staring despondently at his laptop. “This place has a surprisingly well equipped gym.”

He frowned but didn’t interrupt her so Tamren continued, the idea seeming better to her with each word she spoke.

“It’s mostly just myself and the other guards that seem to use it but we could just book it out for an hour each morning so you’d get a private workout.”

Kevan still looked uncertain. “I’ve always found running on a treadmill rather dull.”

Tamren nodded agreement.

“Sure, but I’ll plan us a different workout each day and you won’t even have to put up with Meryn Trant following you around looking permanently miserable.”

That earnt her something approaching a smile so she pressed on.

“I know it’s not the same as getting out in the fresh air, but you’ll still get your morning exercise in relative privacy and I can still ensure you’re safe. Win win.”

She finished with a hopeful smile and waited for him to respond. He was looking thoughtful and Tamren wasn’t sure why but it suddenly felt intensely important that he take her up on the offer.

Eventually Kevan shrugged and gave her a smile.

“Alright, we can give it a try.”

It felt strangely like a weight lifted off her shoulders and Tamren couldn’t help the grin tugging at the corner of her lips. Kevan reached for her coffee mug, eyeing the black contents before handing it over to her and nodding towards the laptop.

“Drink up then and then we’ll get this latest nonsense reported to the cyber team before my first meeting.”

 

 

Stood in the air-conditioned gym the next morning, Kevan felt distinctly like was going to regret taking his bodyguard up on her offer.

He was stood in the centre of the room, hands in the pockets of his shorts and watching as the younger woman loaded plates onto a barbell and moved step boxes around. They’d already done ten minutes on the rowing machine which had left him sweating harder than any run in years and it looked like things were only going to get worse.

“This is starting to resemble some sort of awful military boot camp,” he muttered.

Tamren must have heard as she glanced up from where she was knelt fixing a safety clip into place and shot him a grin.

“You’ll enjoy it, honestly.”

Kevan doubted that very much but he wasn’t going to say as such. Whilst he was feeling a sticky, uncomfortable mess already, Tamren had looked more at ease in amongst the dumbbells and machines than he thought he had seen her at any other point. Apart from perhaps when they had first sat next to each other on the sofa yesterday and shared a coffee.

He pushed that thought away and approached her as she straightened up and swept back a few strands off loose hair.

“Right, it’s just a quick circuit. Overhead press,” she said and pointed at the barbell. “Followed by box jumps, press ups and we’ll finish on deadlifts. Fifteen repetitions on each exercise, four rounds on the circuit. Easy.”

She was looking so pleased about the whole thing that Kevan bit back the sarcastic comment that had risen in the back of his mind as he took in the weight on the bar. He knew she was only trying to help since his ability to run safely had been taken away from him and he did appreciate the effort.

“Just take it steady, don’t worry about getting through it too fast,” she continued. Kevan nodded and pushed down a strange knot of nerves that had built in the pit of his stomach.

He knew it was ridiculous, but he knew his pace on a run and he was confident in what his body could do. This, he thought, as he wrapped his fingers around a barbell and mimicked Tamren’s stance, was something quite out of his comfort zone. He hadn’t set foot in a gym for twenty years and the last time he’d done much in the way of weightlifting he was a much younger and fitter man. He wasn’t relishing discovering just how much strength he might have lost in front of his athletic guard.

“Kevan?”

He glanced up from the bar to see the woman in question watching him. She was still smiling but her expression was softer than before.

“We go at your pace, Sir.”

Kevan nodded. He set his feet, gripped the bar and heaved the weight up.

 

By the end of the first round Kevan had surprised himself. It turned out he had retained a considerable amount of his rugby playing strength and he decided he could get through the session if he followed Tamren’s lead and paced himself. That said, he was still almost bent double and reaching for the water the moment he dropped the bar.

“If this is your idea of trying to protect me from harm then I think I might take my chances trying to outrun whoever has been sending me emails,” he said after downing half the bottle.

Tamren laughed but he noted she was distinctly out of breath herself. He handed her the water and she took it gratefully, gulping down mouthfuls whilst he averted his eyes from the stray drops running down her chin to mingle with the sweat on her chest.

“I’m impressed,” she said when she finally handed the bottle back. Kevan raised an eyebrow doubtingly. “No seriously, you’re doing great,” she continued, checking the time on her watch. “You’ve got thirty seconds. Slow your breathing, set your position and we go again.”

Kevan gave her a mock frown which only earned him another laugh. He watched as she stood upright and stretched her arms above her head giving him a brief glimpse of a toned abdomen before she rolled her shoulders and moved behind the bar.

“Ready?”

She was looking at him expectantly. Kevan blinked and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead to clear the sweat collecting there before stepping into position himself. 

This was going to be a long workout, he thought.

 

By the end of the session they were both collapsed in a sweaty mess on the gym floor, Tamren sat downing water and Kevan, eyes closed, lying flat on his back waiting for his heart rate to return to normal.

“Come on, on your feet. Get some more water down,” he heard Tamren say from somewhere above him. He opened his eyes, stinging with sweat, to see her stood over him.

“Don’t I give the orders here?” he grumbled, earning a laugh and a pointed look from his guard as she offered him a hand up. Kevan hesitated a second before taking it and pushing himself up off the floor with his free hand. 

As he rose, he felt his exhausted legs nearly give out underneath him and to his embarrassment he almost stumbled into Tamren. He only stopped himself from colliding with her by placing a hand on the nearest solid thing to him, which unfortunately happened to be her shoulder.

“Steady. Are you alright?”

She was still holding the hand she’d helped him upright with and looking at him with some concern. Kevan braced himself and removed his hand from her shoulder, reaching over for the water bottle she was holding. She passed it to him but didn’t let go of him. 

“Fine, honestly. My legs are like jelly but otherwise alright,” he said, trying to keep his tone light. Tamren smiled and finally released him, apparently reassured he could stand on his own two feet.

The two of them headed slowly for the exit, passing the water bottle back and forth. Kevan realised she was stood closer than usual and barely taking her eyes off him, he assumed, with some self-consciousness, out of concern that he might suddenly collapse. He stood a little taller and held the door for her as they stepped out into the corridor.

“So have I passed the test? Do they all get easier from here?” he asked.

“I wasn’t testing you, Kev – Sir,” she said.

He thought the sudden formality felt awkward after spending the last hour laughing and joking whilst watching each other sweat and struggle, but now that they were back in the main building of the government offices and could be passed by staff and ministers at any time he knew it was necessary.

“Though if I was . . .” she looked over at him, a teasing glint he’d only noticed recently playing around her eyes. “I’d give you top marks. Ten out of ten for strength, endurance and effort.”

Kevan tried not to look too pleased with himself as he smiled over at her. Perhaps he really had impressed her, he thought.

“In fact, I’m going to have to plan something more challenging for tomorrow’s session,” she continued with a grin that he could only describe as bordering on mischievous.

“Gods, Tam, we’re only one workout in! You’re going to break me by the end of the week at this rate!” he replied, trying to keep his voice down as they passed two of her colleagues on the security team.

“At this point I’m pretty sure you’re up to anything I can throw at you, Sir,” she said, her arm bumping his as she passed him the water bottle again.

Kevan was starting to get a strange, nagging feeling that she might be flirting with him but then immediately doubted it when he looked over at her. It had been quite some time since he’d entertained the idea that someone might want to engage in even a bit of harmless flirtation and he thought the likelihood that this particular woman would wish to seemed unlikely. Even sweaty and exhausted and without any of her usual light makeup she was really quite beautiful, he thought.

As they rounded the corner towards the lifts he started to respond with something he hoped might test that feeling but stopped short in shock as a group of suited men came into view. At their centre stood the poised, hawkish figure of his older brother.

“Tywin?” Kevan blurted in surprise. 

His brother looked over in their direction, eyes narrowing and raking over the two of them. Tywin gave Kevan a quick look up and down that left him uncomfortably aware of what a state he must look currently. Next to him, Kevan felt Tamren straighten up and take a subtle step away from his side, her stance becoming more rigid. Despite his brother’s scrutiny, or perhaps because of it, he missed the closeness immediately.

A humourless smile spread over Tywin’s face and he glanced at his watch before dismissing the handful of guards around him until only Jamie remained.

“Good morning, Kevan,” he said, voice measured but hinting at a controlled sense of surprise. “I see you have been busy already.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took me forever to write but I needed to set up a few things and introduce/re-introduce some characters. I hope it doesn’t feel like too much of a filler chapter. Any feedback is always appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

Kevan leant back into the office chair and rolled his head, rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to work out a knot of tension. He was starting to ache all over from the morning’s exertions and spending almost twelve hours in and out of various meeting rooms with his brother had done nothing to help his sore muscles.

Tywin was sat opposite him behind his desk and now that it was just the two of them, Kevan could see how tired he looked. 

After he’d got over the shock of his brother’s unexpected arrival, Kevan’s next thought had turned to how and why Tywin was there without anyone having notified him.   
Apparently Tywin, finally losing his patience with sitting around in his lavish hospital room, had checked himself out early and called Jamie to pick him up immediately.

“I know you’re always unavailable first thing in the morning,” Jamie had said with a shrug. “Besides, with those threats it seemed best to keep the whole thing as quick and quiet as possible.”

Kevan couldn’t argue with that and he had to admit he was happy to see his brother back and looking so well. 

His recovery had been put to the test throughout the long day. Tywin had thrown himself back into his work with his customary menacing energy but at this point in the evening he was visibly starting to flag and Kevan was concerned he was pushing himself far too hard.

Tywin was looking at him from over the top of his laptop, dark circles beginning to form beneath his still piercing eyes. “This is the latest report?” 

Kevan nodded and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose as he leant forward on the desk. What he wouldn’t give for a warm bath right now. The rapid and mostly cold shower he had managed after they had parted at the lifts had been just enough to make himself presentable again, but his sore muscles were crying out for the soothing heat of the water or a massage. 

“The stats are from four days after Joff’s return.” He watched as his brother scrolled through the various graphs and reports he had put together. “The added press from his holiday and the presence of the Iron Bank are doing wonders for our polling. I wouldn’t be surprised if it jumps again once the news breaks that you’re back.”

Tywin looked up then, pressing his fingers together and looking thoughtful.

“Perhaps. It also gives Miss Targaryen further ammunition for her campaign.”

Aah yes, the anti-establishment platform, Kevan thought. He had to admit, their rival was working a good angle in trying to paint the professionalism and experience of Joffrey’s team as cronyism.

“We’ve been countering with the strong family message, it seems to be cutting through to voters. Baelish at the PR firm assures me they have some interviews lined up for Margery that will further support the angle.”

Tywin nodded in satisfaction. 

“I think the less the press see of me for now the better, potentially,” he said. “Besides, they seem to have warmed to you. Yesterday’s King’s Landing Herald piece was very complimentary.”

Kevan shifted uncomfortably. It was true that his name had been mentioned more favourably of late, but now his brother was back he was looking forward to taking a step back. Occupying the position of the steadying hand in the background had always suited him far better than the glare of the limelight.

“I think it would be good to continue to have you as the more visible head of the campaign where necessary,” Tywin continued and Kevan started to protest before he was cut off. “I’ve been told I am to keep my workload to a minimum. I’ll need you to continue to run things as much as possible until I am fully recovered.”

Kevan watched his brother carefully. He knew how much it would have taken for Tywin to admit to still feeling weak. His brother was an intensely proud man – a family trait that he supposed he also shared – and he was certainly not one to discuss his feelings, even with his closest ally.

“I can rely on you to do that of course?”

Kevan sighed. And there were the magic words his brother knew he could not turn down.

“Of course.”

Tywin nodded brusquely and turned back to business.

“So, what did you have in mind for continuing to grow our base?”

“We need to get Joffrey into some more, man of the people, pieces,” Kevan said. Tywin’s lip curled at the phrasing. Kevan knew his brother had never quite got on board with the idea that a Premier should be liked rather than just simply respected from afar. Which was why they’d brought in the PR firm to support the campaign in the first place.

“And presumably you already have something planned?”

Kevan nodded. “A trip to the North would do him some good. He’s polling low there and could certainly do with shaking a few hands and attending a couple of dinners at least. Baelish assures me there are some company holders who were close friends of Robert’s and would likely make good candidates for a meet and greet.”

“Fine.” Kevan was relieved to see Tywin shut down the laptop and rise from his chair. “I could do with getting a few things under control here and it will certainly be easier if he’s out of the building. You and Cersie will fly north with him by the end of the week then. I’ll let you organise the details but try and keep it to a few days.” 

Kevan was starting to lose the ability to concentrate at this point so at first he thought he had misheard his brother’s words.

“Sorry, Ty, you want me to go?”

“Well I can hardly be expected to make the journey.” Tywin sounded surprised he would even ask and Kevan knew he was right. “Besides, there are a number of things that need my attention here. And as you seem to have your own personal guard it puts less strain on our security team.”

Kevan had gotten the impression that the subject of Tamren had been hovering at the edge of his brother’s mind all day as she had accompanied them between meetings. Though she had stuck close to Kevan’s side throughout, he noted she had not spoken to him unless he had asked her a question and she was always careful to stay out of Tywin’s line of site as much as possible. It was certainly for the best, his brother preferred staff to be seen as little as possible and his guards always marched a few steps behind and ahead of him so as not to incur his wrath when Tywin was at his most irritable.

Despite her best efforts to blend into the background as much as possible, Kevan had noticed his brother turn his cool gaze upon Tamren more than once as they exited offices and she fell back into step with them, but he had not spoken to her.

“How have you found your new guard?” Tywin asked as they gathered the folders and files from their meeting. Through the glass walls Kevan could see Tamren’s figure with her back to them stood rigid, waiting for him.

“Very professional and less intrusive than expected,” Kevan replied. “Though I don’t know how you’ve put up with being followed around for all these years, Ty.”

His brother smiled tightly at that and glanced at his watch. “You get used to it. You should not notice an effective guard’s presence.”

Kevan, still watching Tamren through the glass, wasn’t sure that was true. He felt constantly conscious of her presence beside him.

“I imagine the Iron Bank may wish to have her re-assigned to me now.”

At those words Kevan looked over at his brother to find his gaze already on him.

“Of course,” Kevan replied in a manner he hoped sounded unconcerned. Why hadn’t he considered that already? She was only designated to his guard in the first place because Tywin was away. With his brother’s return of course he was no longer the priority. And what should he care anyway?

Tywin glanced past him and Kevan knew his brother was looking at Tam now. He deliberately did not follow his gaze.

“Though I very much doubt she would be well suited to my service,” Tywin said. Kevan raised an eyebrow and Tywin turned his attention back to him as they made to exit the office. “She smiles rather too much.”

 

Tamren heard the door to the office click open beside her and did her best not to immediately turn to Kevan as he stepped out alongside his brother.

She’d grown used to the way he would often make conversation with her on their short trips from one office to another if they were unaccompanied and even if they were, he would usually give her a smile or a nod before she fell into step beside him. Though he had still acknowledged her throughout the day, it was strange watching him suddenly fall into the role of the helpful aide rather than the man in charge. Although Tywin had seemed to defer to him on a couple of points in their conversations, it was immediately clear who the dominant figure was.

Over her career, she’d met a great many men who considered themselves powerful, but none quite like Tywin Lannister. He was menacing in a tightly controlled way that left her in no doubt that should he be angered it would be truly terrifying to watch. Ministers who throughout the last week or so had been open and cheerful whilst politely deferential to Kevan, suddenly seemed to wither under Tywin’s hawk like glare. In fact the only person who didn’t seem intimidated by him was Kevan who Tamren thought seemed rather happy to have his brother back.

The two of them cut an interesting pair, she thought as she took up a position at Kevan’s side, away from Tywin, and escorted them back towards the main lobby of the parliament building. Physically they were quite different. Tywin was tall and lean, all elegant sharp angles and imposing grace in contrast to Kevan’s broad, honest features and stockier frame, and though he was the older brother it was Tywin who had still retained a touch of the Lannister gold to his otherwise grey hair. 

But it was in demeanour that Tamren thought the real differences seemed to lie. Tywin’s was that of carefully coiled danger and a quick wit that she imagined a great many women over the years would have found exciting. In comparison, Kevan seemed safe and sturdy, she thought. Though he wasn’t always that easy to read, the younger brother was calm and composed and had a constant air of reliability that had made her warm to him immediately. Tywin put everyone on edge where Kevan always seemed to leave people more reassured. She supposed that was why they made such a good team. Certainly the amount of work they had got through today seemed to attest to that.

She took the two of them as far as the lift lobby and had gone to step in with them when Tywin turned his attention to her properly. Tamren did not drop her gaze from his own when he turned it upon her but she felt herself tense as he swept his eyes over her in much the same way he had done to Kevan that morning.

“You may leave us here,” Tywin said and stepped into the lift. His tone allowed no space for argument but reflexively Tamren looked to Kevan. He didn’t immediately react and from the corner of her eye Tamren noted the way Tywin’s eyebrows rose slightly at her lack of immediate acknowledgement of the order.

“Consider your shift finished, Ms Rivers” Kevan said eventually before following his brother. 

Tamren inclined her head deferentially to them both. Tywin was waiting impatiently for Kevan to swipe the key card in his hand. 

She looked to Kevan with a smile. “Six o’clock fine for you tomorrow morning, Sir?” she asked, her tone as cheerful as she thought she could get away with in Tywin’s presence.

It was Kevan’s turn to look surprised but eventually he nodded affirmatively and as the lift doors slid closed she caught his brief smile in return.

 

 

Kevan spoke to Tamren the next morning about the planned trip. To his relief she’d taken him through a much gentler workout that had helped clear the stiffness from his muscles and left him feeling more invigorated rather than exhausted. Whilst they sat on the mats stretching out he explained the rough itinerary he had in mind.

“It’ll be as small a team as we can get away with. We want to avoid public meetings and there will only be approved press present at closed door events.”

Tamren nodded in approval and stretched one arm across her body. Kevan mirrored her movement.

“I’ll speak to Brienne today about the best guards to take,” she said, swapping arms.

“Clegane goes everywhere with Joff and Cersie seems to favour Mr Blount so I suppose it’ll be the three of you and however many else you feel you need,” he replied. 

“And your brother?” she asked, arms stretching out over head. 

“Will not be accompanying us.”

If he’d watched her reaction a couple of weeks ago, Kevan knew that he would have missed the nearly imperceptible shift in her expression and the way her features relaxed slightly. But after so many days together he was conscious that she seemed happy with his response.

“You’re not keen on him?” he asked. He was joking but he saw Tamren tense though she did offer him a wry smile. “He’s an acquired taste, I’ll admit. I don’t think there are many staff who enjoy his company.”

Tamren shrugged and relaxed from her stretch, rolling her shoulders and reaching to gather up their water bottle and sweat towel. “He’s a little, spikey, perhaps.” She was choosing her words carefully, Kevan thought. “But no worse than most of the business men I’ve worked for from what I’ve seen.”

Kevan considered if he should ask her about the likelihood of her being reassigned. He supposed the Bank was probably aware Tywin was back. Perhaps they had already contacted her?

“Unfortunately for him, he just doesn’t come off all that well in comparison,” Tamren continued as they walked away from the mats. 

Kevan furrowed his brow. “Comparison to what?”

When he looked over at her, Tamren’s mischievous smile was tugging at the corner of her lips.

“You, Sir,” she said, sounding surprised that she’d had to clarify.

Kevan laughed under his breath and ducked his head so she wouldn’t see the smile creeping across his features. He couldn’t recall any of the company staff ever being quite as familiar as she was and he was still getting used to her bantering.

“Drink some more water, Tam. Dehydration is clearly addling your thoughts.”

As they left the gym he wondered if it would still be possible for them to continue their workouts should she be reassigned. Maybe he would just have to get up earlier, before Tywin started his day, he thought.

 

 

The few days before the trip were a blur of meetings as Kevan got everything in order before he left. Joffrey seemed happy with the plan when Tywin explained it to him during one of their afternoon briefings and Kevan suspected the young Premier was happy with any excuse not to have to engage with any of the dull financial meetings required of him in the capital. 

Unfortunately, Cersie was less pleased with the idea of spending a few days in the cold Northern cities but Tywin would not entertain any suggestion that she should remain in the government offices whilst he was trying to get on top of everything that had happened during his absence. Kevan watched father and daughter argue with a growing sense of discomfort. If Cersie was in a poor mood before they flew north he hated to think what he was going to have to put up with whilst actually on the trip. 

To distract himself from his growing concern over his niece’s increasingly antagonising behaviour, Kevan spent the afternoon of the day before they were due to fly doing his best to stay out of the Keep. Tamren, clearly just as happy as he to escape the confines of the government offices, accompanied him as he ran a few errands around the city that he would usually have passed off to a PA or one of the more competent interns. 

“One last stop,” he said to her as they were seated next to each other in the back of one of the sleek, armoured cars. She nodded and Kevan lent forward to speak to the driver. 

“Salladhor’s tailors please.”

“Yes, Sir,” the driver replied.

The late afternoon traffic was heavy but their driver knew the routes well and cut down side streets and around the worst of the queues so that they arrived outside a small, unassuming shop front in a few minutes.

The street they were on was narrow and cobbled and most of the tourists seemed to pass by the shop front without much thought even if Kevan noted a few did glance curiously at their vehicle as they stepped out, Tamren, as ever close by his side. She gave him a look of mock consternation as she held the door for him and he stepped past her into the store.

“You know you’re really meant to let me know in advance where you’re planning on visiting,” she said, following behind him as the bell rang to announce their arrival. “The point is I’m meant to vet places for you before we get there.”

Kevan rolled his eyes. “Nonsense, I’ve been buying my suits from here for years. Salladhor’s is a perfectly reputable business. Besides, you’re right next to me, I couldn’t be safer.”

He only had a moment to glance around the racks of expensive jackets and shelves holding the finest shirts before the exuberant figure of Salladhor Saan himself emerged from behind a deep red velvet curtain at the back of the tiny store.

“Ahh, Mr Lannister, it has been some time!” he exclaimed, grasping Kevan’s hand within his own before clapping him on the back companionably.

Salladhor was dressed in an incredibly elaborate black jacket trimmed with gold thread and intricate patterns that was considerably not to Kevan’s taste but he had to admit, suited the other man’s larger than life personality rather well.

“You are looking slimmer, no?” the tailor said, flashing him a wide, gold toothed grin and continuing before Kevan could think of a quick enough response. “You will look impeccable in our new range.”

He turned, apparently looking for the suits in question and his eyes landed on Tamren.

“And who is this beauty? A friend of yours?” He grasped Tamren’s hand and planted a chaste kiss on the back of it. “Very sharp, but I think we could find something a bit more interesting for you than just this plain black,” he said, eyes doing a quick up down on Tamren in her suit in a way Kevan suspected very few men other than Salladhor and his charm could get away with.

As he watched Salladhor wink at her and Tamren returned his flirting with a grin, Kevan felt a flash of something that he tried not to register as jealousy. He supressed the unexpected urge to take a step closer to her.

“This is Tamren Rivers, my bodyguard,” Kevan replied, careful to sound impassive about the whole situation. 

Salladhor finally released Tamren’s hand and raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Kevan with a sly smile. “Your recruitment process has improved. Now, what can I help you with today?”

Having intended only to pick up a plain black suit in a slightly thicker fabric for the trip to the colder north, Kevan was not prepared for just how many alternative suggestions Salladhor had for him, or for how enthusiastic Tamren would be about assisting with choices.

“Darker grey, or, how about this?” Salladhor said, holding up two jackets, one in a pinstriped lighter grey, the other a deeper shade and a checked pattern.

“The lighter, surely,” Tamren said, turning to Kevan with an appraising look as he stood with his hands in his pockets watching the two of them rifle through racks of clothes. 

“What do you think, Kev – Sir?”

Over her shoulder, Salladhor caught his eye. He had definitely noticed her slip.

“Perhaps you should try them on? I think our first selection, yes?” the tailor suggested.

Kevan was happy to take the opportunity to speed things along and collected up the first suit from a steadily growing rack of potential selections beside him. He made his way to the changing area behind the velvet curtain and stepped inside.

Salladhor’s changing area had always left Kevan feeling rather self-conscious over the years. It was three walls of gold framed mirrors with only the curtain behind between him and the shop floor. There was also a moveable mirror that could be pulled into place to give a customer a view of themselves from behind so that Kevan was unable to avoid looking at his own figure from every angle possible. Today, as he quickly stripped down to his shirt and boxers, unnervingly conscious of the low voices of Tamren and Salladhor behind him in the shop, he paused just long enough to note he was looking a little trimmer than expected.

Kevan had never been a large man, but he had always had a relatively solid build of broad shoulders and muscular arms that had fared him well on the rugby field as a younger man and despite his reduced activity, he had never really let himself go over the years - Lannister pride would not allow for it. But he had never had his brother’s height, so the extra weight that inevitably came with his age had sat a little heavier on him around the middle than he would have liked. Now, as he ran a hand over his almost flat stomach, he noted with some satisfaction the way his shirt hung looser round the waist than it had done in some time. At least all the weeks of so much work he had barely had time to eat a full meal each day had finally paid off in some way.

“Ready for your measurements?” Salladhor called out from close to the curtain, interrupting his thoughts. 

“One moment,” Kevan replied and reached for the trousers of the first suit, tugging them on quickly and then shrugging into the jacket.

He was still tucking his shirt into the trousers when Salladhor slid behind the curtain and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

“Hmm, not bad, not bad,” the tailor said, moving around Kevan and nodding at the fit. “The white is not so interesting though,” he said, waving a hand dismissively at the plain shirt Kevan had arrived in. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then leant back to stick his head around the curtain, apparently to speak to Tamren.

Kevan warily watched Salladhor’s reflection in the mirror in front of him. A few moments later he ducked back into the changing area fully, handing him a pale blue shirt.

“Jacket off,” he commanded and Kevan complied, handing it over before beginning to remove his shirt as Salladhor left again with a swish of curtain.

He only had a few seconds to switch shirts before the other man was back again and barging in without so much as a warning. 

“Better,” Salladhor said this time, helping Kevan back into the jacket. “What do you think?”

Kevan stared at his own reflection. Now that he’d gotten over the initial confidence boost of noting his slightly reduced waist line all he could see were the deep lines on his face and how dark the circles under his eyes seemed to have grown. 

He didn’t have long to muse on it though as Salladhor apparently had other ideas.

“Perhaps we need a woman’s eye, my friend,” the tailor suggested and before Kevan could protest he was opening the curtain and calling Tamren in.

 

Tamren was walking around the shop floor, running her hand over clothes she knew she couldn’t afford and marvelling at the neat display of cufflinks below the counter when she heard the curtain drawn back and turned to see the charming tailor smiling and clasping his hands as he stood within the gap, blocking Kevan from view.

“Your expertise, please?”

Uncertain what she was being asked to do, Tamren followed him behind the curtain.

Kevan was stood in the centre of the small space, surrounded by mirrors and looking distinctly uncomfortable in his socks, a pale grey suit and the light blue shirt she’d passed to Salladhor minutes ago. She caught the eye of his reflection in the mirror and he turned to face her.

“Thoughts?” Salladhor asked. 

Tamren stalled, unsure what to say. Her first thought was he looked like he’d rather be almost anywhere but on display in front of her. Her second, which left her feeling suddenly on the back foot in comparison to their usual bantering, was that he was very attractive when he was a little flustered. 

“Let me fetch a tie for you to try with it,” Salladhor suggested beside her and before either she or Kevan could respond he disappeared back out onto the shop floor, leaving the two of them alone.

Kevan ran a hand through his hair in a way that Tamren had come to recognise meant he was feeling either awkward or frustrated about something. Judging by the way he was now avoiding meeting her eye she judged it was probably the former.

“Apologies, I’m sure this really isn’t part of your job description,” he said, a touch of embarrassment to his voice.

More of a perk, she thought as she took him in. Tamren liked staying one step ahead of him with their gentle teasing but she bit back the remark, considering it potentially a step too far.

“It’s fine,” she said eventually. “It makes a change from standing in corridors waiting for you.”

She was pleased to see him smile and finally relax a little at that.

Kevan brushed a hand down the front of the shirt to smooth the creases where it had come out of the packet.

“So, how do I look?” he asked.

Tamren grinned and dug her hands in her pockets, considered him in a way she hadn’t previously felt she could get away with. 

“You look . . . well, very handsome, Sir. Though I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that.”

Judging by the slight colour in his cheeks and the way Kevan ducked his head, Tamren reconsidered her comment. Perhaps no one had told him that in a while?

“The blue looks good on you,” she added, enjoying his reaction.

Kevan chuckled quietly and glanced at his reflection with a rueful smile. “And the grey matches my hair perfectly.”

“I think it’s very distinguished,” Tamren said, though she’d have used another word if she’d thought she could get away with it.

She was considering adding to her praise when Salladhor re-appeared around the curtain, a navy blue tie in hand which he thrust towards Kevan.

“The finishing touch,” the tailor said with a flourish before withdrawing a tape measure and a notepad from inside his pocket. “Put it on, and we’ll take your measurements.”

Tamren watched for a moment as Kevan looped the fabric under the collar and deftly began to tie the knot. Her gaze was drawn to the movements of his fingers before she noticed she was still staring at him and awkwardly turned to leave.

“Aah, hold this please.” 

Before she could take a step out of the now very cramped changing space, Salladhor handed her the tape measure and motioned to Kevan to turn around which surprisingly he did without argument.

“Across the shoulders.”

Tamren stared at the tailor in confusion and he mimed drawing the tape across the width of Kevan’s back before tapping a stubby pencil against his notebook impatiently.

“Mr Lannister will look considerably more handsome if his suit fits better, no?”

Tamren couldn’t remember the last time she’d blushed but she could feel the heat starting to creep over her face now as she realised Salladhor had clearly been listening to their conversation. She could see Kevan watching her in the mirror, his expression as surprised as hers. But he didn’t say anything, instead waiting patiently for her either to refuse or to follow Salladhor’s instructions. 

Never one to turn down a challenge, Tamren held Kevan’s gaze and, though cautious to touch him as little as possible, placed the end of the tape on his left shoulder and drew the rest along his back before holding it in place so Salladhor could lean over and jot down the measurement. 

“Excellent. And arm now.”

Having been measured up for her own suits, Tamren was fairly familiar with the process but she still glanced over at Salladhor for instruction, not wanting to seem too eager.

“From the back of the neck, down to the wrist,” he said, flashing those golden teeth in her direction.

Tamren carefully touched one end of the tape to the back of his collar and ran the rest down Kevan’s arm, holding it in place for just a second against the warm skin on the back of his wrist. 

“Mmhmm. Waist, please. I believe you have lost an inch or so?” Salladhor said, looking to Kevan who all but rolled his eyes in response.

Tamren hesitated and looked to Kevan again in the mirror, silently asking his permission. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod.

She stepped in closer and reached her arms around in front of him so she could grasp the tape measure in both hands. With Kevan in his socks, Tamren stood at only slightly less than Kevan’s height and she was momentarily stood close enough to be conscious she was breathing on the back of his neck. She saw him tense. Tamren paused for a second longer than she knew was strictly necessary, then brought her hands back around him to draw the tape round his waist until both ends met at the base of his spine.

“Perfect,” Salladhor intoned next to her and Tamren watched him write down a number before reluctantly she released the tape and took a slight step back from Kevan.

“And finally, the inside leg,” Salladhor said. Tamren froze and nearly dropped the tape as she caught Kevan’s eye in the mirror and he turned to face her.

“Is exactly the same as it has always been,” Kevan said quickly, sparing her having to refuse.

Salladhor shrugged and took the tape measure from Tamren’s outstretched fingers. “Then we are all done. I will get everything sorted at the till for you, Sir.”

He disappeared once again leaving the two of the stood inches apart in the centre of the surrounding mirrors.

“So,” Kevan said, filling the awkward silence “It seems I am all prepared for our trip. Have you finalised the security arrangement?”

Tamren was grateful for him manoeuvring the conversation back onto the safer ground of work. She was starting to feel distinctly warm in the confined space of the changing room.

She took a pace back, putting some space between the two of them as Kevan turned back to face the huge mirror fixed to the back wall and shrugged off the new jacket. Tamren handed him the hanger.

“We’ve had the plans for the hotel rooms sent over and Brienne and I have run through the security procedure with the assigned guards accompanying the Premier. I’m discussing security for the visits with the company security teams via email. It’s all quite straightforward.”

Kevan nodded to her in the mirror, his hands going to his collar and undoing the top button. Tamren knew that was her queue to leave but hesitated a moment.

“And what’s your brother doing whilst all this is happening?” she asked. “We’re taking a solid contingent of guards away from the Keep and we still haven’t figured out where those emails are coming from.” 

“Tywin is remaining here in the Capital. I believe he is arranging a meeting with the Bank amongst other things,” Kevan replied. Tamren watched him as he began undoing his tie. He seemed to pause briefly. “He believes you may be re-assigned now that he’s returned,” he continued, avoiding looking at her and instead working his fingers at the knot. “Now that he’s back I shouldn’t have thought my safety is the Iron Bank’s priority.”

He said it matter-of-factly as if he were discussing the weather rather than his own life. Tamren felt appalled at the way he could so easily dismiss his own welfare.

“Whatever happens, it’s still mine.”

Kevan’s reflection caught her eye in the mirror, an odd expression hovering around his features.

“I . . . well, I appreciate your professional concern, Tam.” 

Tamren held his gaze for a long moment then shrugged and gave him a grin.

“What can I say? You’re a lot more likeable than your brother.”

 

Kevan laughed quietly as over his reflection’s shoulder he watched Tam smiling at him in that disarmingly cheeky manner she had. A moment later she turned and ducked behind the curtain, leaving him alone to change rapidly back into to the suit he had arrived in.

When he eventually made his way back out onto the shop floor Tamren was leaning against the counter, she and Salladhor peering through the glass at the rows of cufflinks arranged underneath. Kevan placed the new suit on its hanger beside where the two of them were pointing, careful not to obscure whatever held their attention. 

“A little plain, no?” Salladhor was saying to Tamren. Kevan glanced down to see they were both looking at a pair of silver stud cufflinks in the shape of a knot. 

Kevan thought they were rather elegant and would look far better against the black of her work wear than the gold and gaudy diamonds adorning most of the far more expensive pieces surrounding them.

Salladhor straightened up and gathered up the suit, sliding it into a bag as Kevan removed his wallet and turned to Tamren.

“Would you let the driver know we’re leaving?”

She nodded and Kevan watched her go as Salladhor totalled up his purchases.

“Anything else I can get for you?” the tailor asked. 

“The tie as well,” Kevan said.

As he place his hands on the counter top and drew out his credit card his gaze was drawn back to the cufflinks that had caught Tamren’s eye. They really were a lot cheaper than all the others and considerably more in keeping with his taste.

“You’re sure that’s all?”

He looked up at Salladhor. The tailor was smiling at him knowingly. Kevan frowned.

“That’s all.”

Salladhor shrugged and handed him the card machine. “I’ll have the adjustments made for you this afternoon and it will all be delivered to you first thing tomorrow morning.”

 

Kevan was still weighing up whether or not he should have bought the cufflinks later that evening as he finished packing his suitcase. Would it really have been so inappropriate to get her a gift? After all, she’d certainly gone above and beyond the remit of her role with their morning workouts.

As he placed it into its travel bag, Kevan ran a hand over the fabric of the new suit he’d purchased that afternoon and remembered the way her fingers had run across his shoulders.

He knew he shouldn’t have allowed the situation to occur. She was his guard, not his assistant or his tailor. Not even his friend, not really, he thought. She was a member of staff and as such had simply done as requested. But she hadn’t said no or looked uncomfortable and Kevan was fairly confident at this point that Tamren was not someone who would be talked into anything she didn’t want to do. Still, he knew he should have been more careful to ensure he kept a professional distance from her.

His circling thoughts and nagging sense of guilt at the way he had enjoyed the contact with her were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door to his suite. 

“Uncle,” Jamie greeted him as Kevan opened the door. The younger man held up a flash drive with a grin. “I’ve brought you some light reading for your trip.”

Kevan furrowed his brow in confusion but took the USB stick from his outstretched hand.

“Ms Rivers file you asked me to get a couple of weeks ago,” his nephew clarified. “Apologies for the lateness but we’ve had a few other issues that took precedent.”

Kevan nodded awkwardly and pocketed the drive. He’d forgotten about his request over the last few days. Something about having her information suddenly seemed inappropriate but he tried to ignore the feeling.

“Thank you. Any luck with our other . . . concerns?” he asked. 

Jamie glanced around him in the corridor. Bar the guard stood against the wall a few metres away they were alone. 

“Perhaps. I’ve got some leads to follow up on whilst your away. If I find out anything I’ll brief you when you return.”

Kevan nodded. He knew Jamie and Tywin had met a few times to discuss progress on searching for whoever had been responsible for the poisoning but nothing seemed to have come of it yet and they didn’t seem much closer to discovering the source of his own threats.

“Well, Uncle, I’ll leave you to packing. Have a safe trip.”

Kevan thanked him again and watched for a moment as Jamie turned and left before heading back into his living space. He took a seat on one of the sofas, packing for his trip forgotten for a moment as he removed the flash drive from his pocket. He contemplated it for a few long moments, turning it in his hands and trying not to think about the way Tamren had looked at him in the mirror that afternoon. 

Kevan reached for his laptop and booted it up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was meant to be a short chapter but I got very carried away with the scene in Salladhor’s shop and just couldn’t decide what to cut.


	6. Chapter 6

Something was bothering Kevan, Tamren was sure of it. 

As the private plane began to taxi down the runway, she tightened the buckle on her seat belt and relaxed back into the soft leather, watching the man in question sat opposite her. He shifted in his seat and glanced out of the window to watch the ground begin to drop away below them. 

He’d barely spoken to her on the way to the gym that morning and he’d shrugged off almost every attempt she’d made at cracking a joke or teasing with just a small smile and nothing more. At first she’d just presumed he was tired, but as more time had passed and he hadn’t seemed to gain any of his usual humour, she found herself feeling increasingly concerned.

The nature of her role meant that over the years she had occasionally gotten close with her charges. A bit of bantering kept things light and helped keep the job interesting. Kevan wasn’t the first employer with whom she had engaged in what she had presumed was a bit of harmless flirting, but given the odd way he was acting today, Tamren thought that perhaps he wasn’t quite as comfortable with it as she had first thought. Perhaps things had gone a bit far the previous day.

The voice of the Captain filled the cabin informing them that they could now use electronic devices and Tamren saw the seatbelt light above her head switch off. Behind her she heard Cersie calling over a flight attendant and demanding a glass of wine. She and Joffrey had already been aboard the plane when Kevan’s car had arrived on the runway and  
Cerise appeared to be well on her way to getting drunk.

Tamren looked to Kevan to see his reaction to his niece’s behaviour but he was already on his feet, his laptop tucked under his arm and heading for the small office towards the back of the plane. When she made to rise, he paused beside her seat.

“I have to get some work done. You needn’t accompany me.”

Tamren settled back into her chair but didn’t take her eyes off him.

“Is everything alright?”

It was perhaps the third time she’d asked him today but this time Kevan paused and Tamren got the impression that there was something he wanted to say. But then as quickly as it came he seemed to think better of it and gave her a nod.

“Fine. I just need to concentrate for a while.” He glanced over her shoulder and Tamren heard the glug of a bottle being poured out. Kevan frowned and then leant in closer. “Please come and get me if anyone’s behaviour gets out of hand.”

Tamren assured him she would and seemingly satisfied, he left. 

With all thought of catching up on sleep disappearing as she considered Kevan’s demeanour, Tamren headed towards the small bar at one side of the aircraft and fixed herself a coffee. She stirred in the milk, glancing over at where the Premier was seated watching what appeared to be an incredibly violent horror movie. She did her best to avoid garnering his attention as she made her way back to her seat only to find herself stopped by a light hand on her arm.

“It’s Tamren, isn’t it?”

Tamren glanced down to see Cersie smiling up at her, a glass of wine clutched in the hand not currently on her arm.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Tamren replied.

“Please, take a seat. It’s good to have some female company for once,” Cersie said, motioning to the empty seat opposite her. Tamren complied warily. “How are you enjoying living in the capital?” 

It was an innocent enough question but Tamren had spent just enough time around the Premier’s mother to have realised that very little she did was without an ulterior motive.

“I haven’t had much time to explore outside of the Parliamentary buildings so far,” she replied, hoping to offer just enough of a response that Cersie would grow bored and end the conversation quickly.

“Of course. My Uncle has very little to occupy him outside of his work. I can’t imagine he is one of the more interesting people you have been assigned to?”

Tamren felt her smile tighten in response. “He is a very diligent man.”

Cersie gave a hollow laugh and took a sip of wine.

“Indeed. Some might say dull. Would you care for a glass?” She offered an empty glass to Tamren. Tam shook her head and took a swig of her coffee.

“I’m still working, Ma’am. Thank you for the offer.”

“Very diligent yourself,” Cersie replied. Her tone made Tamren distinctly uncomfortable but she didn’t move, waiting for Cersie to dismiss her. At least if she was sat with her she supposed she could keep an eye on her alcohol consumption.

“We are thousands of feet in the air and surrounded by guards, my Uncle could not be safer. You have four hours of very little to do my dear, I would make the most of it,” Cersie continued, topping up her own glass and watching Tamren in a predatory manner that reminded her of Tywin. “Once we arrive I expect there will be oh so many meetings for you to stand outside of and very little time for fun. Or early morning runs.”

Was there a hint of a warning in that, Tamren wondered as she watched Cersie smile at her.

“Jamie tells me you’ve settled in to the team very well,” Cersie continued when Tamren didn’t reply. “He seems quite impressed by you.”

“That’s good to hear, Ma’am. Your brother is very well respected in the industry - it’s a pleasure to work alongside him.” 

Cerise frowned and it was not the reaction Tamren had expected.

“Yes, I’m sure a great many women would enjoy the opportunity to work with him. A pity he hasn’t accompanied us, though I’m sure Father has his reasons.”

Tamren suddenly felt like she was on very dangerous ground and wasn’t quite sure how she’d ended up there. She filed away Cersie’s odd behaviour and made a mental note to speak to Brienne about it when she returned to the capital.

“I believe my father is meeting with the Iron Bank. I suppose you have spoken to Mr Nestoris regarding this?”

And there it was, Tamren thought. She was digging for information about whatever meetings it was she had been excluded from.

“I wouldn’t know, Ma’am. I can’t say I’ve spoken to him much since being assigned to Mr Lannister.”

Cersie looked unconvinced.

“And Kevan hasn’t spoken of it?”

Tamren stalled. Cersie was certainly not someone she wanted as an enemy, but she knew very little about whatever Tywin had planned. Kevan had mentioned he was meeting with them but nothing further. And even if he had said anymore, Tamren knew where her loyalty lay.

“He hasn’t.”

Cerise smirked at that and swigged her wine before setting the glass down, delicate fingers still gripping the stem tightly.

“He doesn’t trust you enough to speak of such matters?” she asked, one artfully shaped eyebrow rising in mock surprise. “Mr Blount and I speak of many things. He has my complete confidence, you see.”

Tamren knew this game. A few times over the years, partners or even children of her charges had tried to pry information out her with sweet words and insinuations, sometimes even resorting to money or other bribes. 

“Mr Lannister is not one for discussing work.”

Cersie smiled archly.

“And there I was under impression he never speaks of anything else.”

Cersie tried for a while longer to twist anything she could out of her but Tamren deflected her questions and gave short answers until eventually Cersie grew drunk and bored of her game and called over Mr Blount to take Tamren’s place.

Tamren rose from her seat gratefully and manoeuvred past the rather portly guard. He did nothing to hide his scowl as she made her way back down the aisle to return to her seat.

 

 

The rest of the journey continued without too much incident. Kevan emerged from the office when the Captain announced on the intercom that they would shortly be descending into Winterfell airport.

“All fine out here I take it?” he asked as he buckled up. Tamren glanced over her shoulder. Cersie was still asleep with her seat reclined as she had been for the last couple of hours.

“For the most part,” she said, keeping her voice low. Kevan raised his brows at that but didn’t asked any further questions.

It was already dark when they landed and there were three sleek black limos waiting for them on the tarmac along with a number of smaller saloon cars. Tamren was thankful there were no press to meet them once they disembarked the plane and the group headed directly to the hotel with only a small private dinner planned for that evening rather than any large campaign events. 

It had been a few years since Tamren had been up north for work and she’d forgotten how much smaller Winterfell city was than Kings Landing so she was surprised at how quickly the convoy had arrived at the hotel. A contingent of guards had travelled ahead so she didn’t need to take any of the security from the main party with her when she escorted Kevan to his room within the wing of the hotel that had been closed off for the Premier. She was pleased to see men stationed at various points along the corridor as well as the lift and one outside of Kevan’s door itself. 

She’d still entered the room ahead of him just to be safe and done a quick check on the access points. When she’d finished and let him know everything was secure, he’d stalled, not immediately dismissing her and again Tamren had gotten the nagging sense that there was something he wanted to say to her. He’d watched her closely for just a moment too long before thanking her and requesting she meet him in an hour’s time for an escort to his meeting with the industry leaders that evening.

 

 

Kevan reluctantly watched the door shut behind Tamren, leaving him alone with his thoughts in the unfamiliar hotel room. 

He needed to talk to her, that much was clear. He thought he would have been better able to hide his discomfort at his newly discovered information, but given how many times he’d caught her looking at him with a concerned frown over the course of the day, it clearly wasn’t working. 

Kevan crossed the room to the window seat and removed his laptop from its case. He didn’t have long to get ready before his dinner meeting and he really did need a shower and a shave after the flight, but instead he found himself once again opening the file that had been bothering him all day and reading through the contents as he weighed up how best to broach the topic of her situation with the Iron Bank.

Tamren wasn’t just working for the bank, he’d learnt, she was all but owned by them. According to the information Jamie had pulled, her debt with them was so severe she’d spent the last four years working on a contract that was all but indentured servitude. Kevan suspected it was completely illegal, but her finances were so poor she couldn’t possibly have had the money to fight the situation in court and it didn’t appear she had any family to help, other than a brother who had gotten her into this mess in the first place.

He scrolled back up the document, pausing at the profile image of her that accompanied a section on her personal details. The first things that had struck him when he’d begun reading last night, were that at thirty three she was a few years older than he’d expected, and that she had an impressive academic record, having graduated from the University of Braavos with a degree in history.

That was all quickly pushed from his mind as he had continued reading about her background. Her father was listed as unknown and her mother, 19 at the time Tamren had been born, had given both she and her brother away to the Riverland’s children’s services within a couple of years. There were a few short notes about the various children’s homes and foster families the two of them had been bounced around but it was her juvenile criminal record that had caught Kevan’s attention. Two counts of affray and a conviction at fifteen for assault, all of which had been expunged from her adult record. Juvenile or not, the charges would have shown up on the enhanced background check of the government security offices had she applied for a position directly with them rather than having been dropped into his service by the Bank, and she more than likely would have been turned down.

Kevan knew he should be angrier about her record and her compromised position with the bank than he was. It was certainly enough for him to demand she be taken off his security detail at the very least. Instead he found himself more concerned than anything. His guard was in more debt than any one person could be expected to pay in a lifetime and apparently without any way out of the situation other than to continue working for the Bank indefinitely.

The rest of her service record was exemplary. She had worked for a number of businessmen and women he knew personally, a couple of whom had left glowing recommendations on her professional profile that had been included. There were even a few celebrity names in there he vaguely recognised from Lancel’s music collection and there wasn’t a single complaint against her name until he reached the section on her private security business with her brother which was where things appeared to have gone downhill six years ago. Jamie’s notes didn’t explain what had happened other than that her brother seemed to have run the business into the ground and Tamren appeared to have taken over the responsibility for it just before it had gone under. As such it seemed she had been left with the debt. 

Kevan sighed and rubbed a hand over the five o’clock shadow covering his jaw. He knew all too well what it was like to take on the responsibilities of family and their mistakes. 

He headed to the small en-suite bathroom to freshen up, hoping a quick shower might clear his head and help him come up with the best way to talk to her about the situation.

 

 

Kevan was in his element, Tamren thought, as she watched him laughing and chatting with the three industry leaders.

From her corner of the room she had a clear view of his table as well as the entrances to the small hotel restaurant - empty save for the party at the table – and for the last few hours she had watched him converse with and entertain the businessmen in a way that was clearly winning them round to the Premier’s cause.

Joffrey himself had been whisked away to a local sports event in order to be seen enjoying the game and garnering some good press and Cersie had declined to join them for the northern strategy meeting, instead retiring to her room to prepare for her own interviews the next day. Without his family to supervise and out of the capital, Kevan seemed to be revelling in talking business.

He certainly seemed more relaxed than Tamren had seen him all day, though she recalled he had been stiff and overly courteous with her when she had met him at his room and walked him down to the restaurant. She wondered with some concern if not having her so close at his side this evening was what had allowed him to finally loosen up a little. He didn’t seem upset with her, but he was certainly not his usual affable self.

Tamren forced herself to straighten up as the travelling caught up with her and she began to feel her eyes itching with tiredness. She watched as the waiter offered the men a whiskey menu and Kevan shook his head and requested a tea instead. She’d noted early on that he had barely touched his wine glass, apparently more cautious to keep his wits about him than the three northerners who had been drinking heavily all night and whose laughter had gotten progressively louder. Cersie would not have been out of place at their table, Tamren thought.

“You won’t have a nightcap, Kevan?” the tall, bearded man who had introduce himself as Mr Karstark, asked.

“I have an early start tomorrow,” Kevan replied. Tamren fought to supress a yawn when his gaze flicked in her direction momentarily and she saw his brow furrow slightly. “In fact, I’m afraid I really could do with getting some sleep.”

 

Kevan was feeling tired but satisfied by the time they rose from the table and finally shook hands. It had been a productive first night. 

Tamren was waiting for him at the exit of the restaurant and Kevan felt some of the discomfort that had been nagging at him all day settle back onto his shoulders as she gave him a small smile and fell into step at his side.

“Did you have a good evening, Sir?” she asked as they climbed the stairs towards his room, Kevan suddenly conscious that she was putting a little more distance between them than he was used to. It felt odd not to have her almost bumping against him as they walked.

“It went well, yes. If the rest of the trip continues like this then Tywin should be very satisfied with it.”

He heard her stomach growl as they made their way down the corridor.

“Have you not eaten?” he asked. She shook her head, supressing a yawn again as she opened the door for him. “Order something up to your room, it’s all going on the government expenses.”

Tamren nodded and looked like she was going to leave then paused in the doorway, glancing over to the guard stood stoically outside.

“There’s a gym on the top floor of this wing. Will your schedule allow for a workout tomorrow, Sir?”

She was giving him an out, he thought and Kevan felt a surprising sadness at how their easy relationship had become disrupted. He’d come to rely on their sessions together to break up the stresses of the day and he didn’t want to lose that.

“A short one, yes. Please meet me here at six,” he said and was pleased to see her eyes light up at that. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one who took some comfort in their time alone together, he thought.

As he watched her leave, he resolved to talk to her tomorrow.

 

The hotel gym was tiny and not particularly well-equipped, but Tamren found she didn’t care all that much, such was her relief that Kevan had agreed to their workout. When she’d asked him the night before, she had been convinced he would refuse. But he’d been up and ready when she arrived at his room that morning, even greeting her with his customary warm smile that had been conspicuously absent most of the previous day. It was reassuring that he seemed more relaxed so she didn’t ask him any further questions and just made sure to keep her distance as much as possible if that would make him more comfortable. He was clearly still very distracted though.

As she watched him beside her, the two of them sweating their way through the brief workout, Tamren began to think her concern for Kevan wasn’t just entirely professional. It had been a few years since she’d felt so at ease in someone’s company and she really didn’t want to lose that. Besides, she rationalised, it would be a very long and difficult job if he was going to continue to be so closed off. 

They were nearing the end of the session now and had moved on to a round of box jumps. Tamren was watching the clock on the wall, conscious that they both needed enough time to freshen up and get into their work attire before Kevan had to be back out on the road and heading to the Premier’s first meet and greet. 

With her eyes on the clock she didn’t notice the awkward way Kevan landed as he stepped back down onto the gym floor, so it wasn’t until he swore and dropped to the mat that she realised he had injured himself.

Tamren crouched beside him as he reached for his right ankle and winced, clearly in some pain.

“Shit, are you alright?”

Kevan closed his eyes for a second and lent back, a look of frustration on his face.

“I broke it years ago playing rugby, it just plays up sometimes,” he said. He gingerly ran a hand over the top of his ankle, pushing his sock down so he could take a look at it. “I think I’ve just sprained it a bit, that’s all.”

Tamren moved to her knees beside him and reached out for his ankle before she’d even thought about what she was doing. She felt Kevan tense a little as her hands rested on the swollen joint, but he didn’t move away or say anything. 

 

“How does that feel?”

Tamren’s fingers were kneading the joint firmly, her skin soft against his own and chasing away the pain with a very different sensation. As he tried not to react to the contact, Kevan had the uncomfortable realisation that since the end of his marriage, he couldn’t remember the last time someone had touched him for anything other than a handshake.

“Kevan?”

She was looking up at him now, brows furrowed in concern.

“Fine, fine. A little sore,” he managed eventually. “That helps, thank you.”

Tamren nodded and looked back down at her hands, continuing to apply gentle pressure. She turned his ankle carefully, then moved his foot back and forth. “Is that alright?”

For a moment he wasn’t quite sure what she was asking.

“Err, yes, I think so.”

She released his ankle and rose to her feet. Kevan immediately missed the contact, but then she offered him a hand.

“Let’s see if you can put any weight on it.”

He accepted her hand, pushing himself upright with his free arm. Once up, Tamren wrapped an arm around his waist to support him as he stood on one leg.

“Hands on my shoulders. Go steady.”

Kevan did as she asked before gingerly applying weight to his injured foot. It seemed to hold just fine with only a little pain.

They walked a few steps, Kevan with an arm slung around Tamren’s shoulders and pressed close to her side. The two of them were sweaty enough he could feel her vest clinging to him. He tried to focus on his ankle.

“Does that feel ok?” she asked when they stopped near the exit to the gym.

“Steady enough. I’ll strap it up for the day, but it should be fine.”

She nodded and Kevan knew that was definitely his cue to remove his arm from around her shoulders. Neither of them released their hold on the other.

Tamren was looking over at him with some concern still. Kevan could see the sweat on her brow and wisps of dark hair that had come loose during their training. An absurd urge to brush them back into place rose up in the back of his mind. He ignored it. 

“Good,” she said, smiling ruefully at him now. “Because I’m pretty sure breaking your ankle would get me fired and then I’d really be in trouble.”

Her words suddenly pushed her file back into his thoughts, overtaking all his other concerns. Kevan cautiously withdrew his arm from her and she immediately reciprocated, removing her steadying hold in his waist. 

“Tam . . . there’s something I need to speak to you about."

She looked uncertain for some reason and he felt a twinge of guilt.

“I’m afraid it might have to wait, Sir, we have half an hour to meet the car out front,” she said. The formality grated on him but Kevan nodded.

“This evening then.”

 

 

“And this is where the final product is kept, ready to be shipped out. I’m hoping with a little more investment in the transport network up here we could double production within five years.”

Kevan watched as the Premier nodded along to Mr Bolton’s words and smiled at the appropriate points for the few press who were following the government party on their tour of Bolton’s steelworks.

They were currently stood in a huge warehouse surrounded by steel girders. The noise from the factory floor behind them was deafening and Kevan was relieved when they stepped out into the light of the yard so Joffrey could have his picture taken shaking Roose Bolton’s hand in front of the company sign.

Tamren, along with the other guards, was stood a few paces behind the Premier and as Kevan moved out of the way of the journalist’s flashing cameras, he saw her detach herself from the group to stick closer to him.

He had tried his best to ignore her presence as he focused on his work throughout the day. It had been a very long afternoon and with all the walking they’d done his ankle was beginning to pulse a dull ache, a constant reminder of the conversation he still needed to have. In between chats with the staff working on the steelworks factory floor and discussing plans for northern investment with Mr Bolton, he’d been struggling to come up with what he actually wanted to say to his guard.

Kevan's thoughts were interrupted as Roose Bolton smiled grimly for a few photos then detached himself from the Premier and strolled towards him.

“I trust that’s enough hamming it up for cameras?” Bolton said. The CEO’s thinly veiled contempt for the whole exercise had been clear from the start of the tour. He had only complied in the first instance as Kevan had promised a proper investment meeting would take place if he provided the photo opportunity.

Kevan nodded and watched Joffrey continue to talk to the assembled press. He had briefed the Premier on talking points in the car on the way to the visit and was pleased to see he was sticking to them.

A few of the workmen were milling around the yard as Kevan and Roose stood waiting for Joffrey’s press opportunity to finish. A group of them dressed in hardhats and high-visability jackets seemed to be jostling to get closer to where Kevan was stood with their boss.

“Got time for this bollocks but not to meet about our pay dispute then?” one of them growled to Roose as he marched up to the two of them, flanked by his co-workers. Kevan was conscious of Tamren and a couple of the other guards moving in closer as the burly man rounded on him. “Going to offer me a pay rise if I vote for this idiot?” he said, jerking a thumb in Joffrey’s direction.

Before Kevan could respond a smaller body was stepping smoothly between him and the angry steelworker.

“You need to take a step back, Sir,” Tamren said, her tone polite but firm. The steelworker made to move around her but she kept herself between him and Kevan. Kevan felt his heart rate rise as the man glared at his guard and moved closer to her. She didn’t react.

“The Premier will be making time to speak to the Unions within the next few weeks,” Kevan said, hoping to defuse the situation before Tamren was forced to respond. “If you have specific complaints, please raise them with your representative and I will see that they are discussed.”

“Sure you will. The lot of you are all the same.” He jabbed a finger at Kevan. “No respect for hardworking people.”

“A step back. Now,” Tamren demanded, her voice low. The steelworker turned his attention back to her.

“And what are you going to do about it?” he spat.

“I’m going to break any finger you put on him,” she shot back. Kevan tried not to look surprised at her boldness but he definitely believed her. Apparently so did the bigger man as he dropped his arm to his side and with a final grim smile in Roose’s direction, turned and slouched away.

 

 

Tamren was aware it was not the most professional thing she’d ever said in a heated situation and it definitely could have backfired, but she’d met a lot of men like that throughout her life and sometimes a quick threat of physical violence was the only thing they could be relied upon to respond to. The risk of humiliation in front of his colleagues and not being able to work for weeks with a broken hand had seemed to do the trick with the angry workman and the group of them shuffled out of the yard.

Kevan was wearing an odd expression - somewhere between shocked and amused - when she turned to check he was alright.

“Thank you, Ms Rivers. Though perhaps a bit more subtlety wouldn’t go amiss next time, hmm?”

“Apologies, Sir,” she said, but he was smiling at her.

“I can see now why you stayed so calm,” she heard Roose Bolton to Kevan say as they made their way over to re-join Joffrey. The Premier seemed to have kept the journalist’s attention enough that none of them had noticed the incident luckily. “Where can I hire a guard with that much bite?”

Tamren didn’t catch Kevan’s response as it was lost in the sounds of the journalists asking their final round of questions before Kevan wrapped up the visit and they made their way back to the waiting cars. She waited until the Premier’s limo had left before sliding into the backseat of the car with Kevan and nodding to the driver to leave. 

“How many times have you had to follow through on that threat”? Kevan asked as they pulled out of the yard and onto the main route back into Winterfell city.

“I’ve had to put a few people in an arm lock,” she said, thinking back to her most recent jobs. “And there was that one time someone got to close to my employer’s wife and I had to wrestle the guy to the floor.” She could think of a few other occasions things had gotten quite violent but didn’t think he’d really want to hear about them.

“But you haven’t actually broken anyone’s fingers?” Kevan asked. Tamren looked over to see him watching her with interest.

“Once or twice,” she said cautiously. He raised his eyebrows and Tamren tried to lighten the situation. “That and I nearly did your ankle this morning.”

Kevan dropped her gaze and Tamren realised immediately she’d made a mistake reminding him of their session. The memory of his arm around her had lingered throughout the day as she’d watched him working and she wondered if he’d been replaying it in his mind the same way she had.

“How is your ankle holding up?” she asked eventually.

“A little sore and I’m glad to be off my feet, but otherwise fine,” he said. Tamren suspected he was playing it down as she’d seen him look uncomfortable a few times when they’d been walking around throughout the day, though he’d done a good job of hiding it from the various company owners they’d met. 

“Well, that’s your last engagement of the day so you should be able to rest it up for the rest of the evening. Are you planning or taking dinner in the restaurant or your room tonight?” she asked, trying to gauge whether she would be spending the evening stood in the corner of the restaurant again or on guard outside his door for the rest of her shift. 

Kevan looked thoughtful for a moment then responded that he would order to his room tonight. Good, she thought, that definitely made life easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was unbelievably hard work to write for some reason. It took four complete re-writes to get to the final product, so I hope it flows together alright.


	7. Chapter 7

If he hadn’t been so intent on resting his ankle, Kevan would have been pacing his room. Instead he was once again staring at his laptop and sat awkwardly on the window seat with his ankle propped up on two uncomfortably scratchy and sequined cushions that the hotel obviously regarded as very fashionable.

He knew Tamren was outside his door. She’d taken up a sentry position there as soon as they had returned from the steelworks and informed him she would be on shift another few hours if he needed her. He’d seen her once when the porter had brought up his meal and Tam had held the door open, saying something that had made the nervous young woman smile and laugh as she’d stepped back out into the corridor, but other than that she had remained at her post.

Kevan knew he couldn’t put this off much longer - not if he didn’t want to keep her on overtime or drag the whole thing out into the coming days. 

He rose from the bench, rolled up his shirt sleeves and placed his laptop on the coffee table in front of the sofa. There was only the one in the room so he was uncomfortably conscious he was going to have to sit next to her whilst they spoke. 

His guard was lounging against the wall when he opened the door and she snapped to attention when she noticed him.

“A moment of your time please, Tam.”

She didn’t respond but followed him inside and took a seat on the sofa when he gestured for her to do so.

“Did you want a coffee? Or a tea or something?”

Kevan wasn’t sure why he’d asked. He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling awkward as she looked up at him with a bemused expression. 

“No, thanks. I’m off to bed in half an hour, I could do without the caffeine.”

Kevan nodded and eventually sat beside her at the other end of the sofa. 

“Are you alright?” she asked, an edge of uncertainty to her tone.

That question again, he thought with a small smile that just seemed to add to her confusion. Kevan couldn’t recall anyone having asked him how he was nearly so much as she did. Which made sense, of course, he thought. Looking after his wellbeing was her job after all. This afternoon had been a timely reminder of that amongst all their casual joking – he still refused to think of it as flirting - as she had put her body between his and the threat of violence.

“When you first came into my service, I asked Jamie to run a background check on you,” he started, thinking it best to dive straight in.

“As expected. I’d have been more worried if you hadn’t.”

Tamren was smiling and looking somewhat relived. He wondered what she’d been expecting him to say and felt that twinge of guilt again that had been nagging at him all day.

Rather than drag it out any further and stumble over his words, Kevan opened the laptop and turned it to face her. He watched as Tamren began reading. She must have rapidly realised that Jamie had pulled rather a lot more than just her professional profile as her smile faded.

She didn’t speak, but while she scrolled through some of the more intimate details of her life, Kevan noticed her features school themselves into the blank, professional expression she’d worn when they had first met. He let her read in silence for a couple of minutes and was considering what to say when she suddenly turned the laptop back to him without a word, her eyes cast down.

“When were you going to tell me about this?” he asked quietly.

Tamren met his eye. If she was upset she was doing a good job of hiding it, though he could sense she was uncomfortable as she fidgeted with the cuffs of her shirt.

“It didn’t seem relevant.”

Her tone was even and polite in a manner that irked him more than he had expected. It was like the shutters had dropped over her. Kevan sighed and leant forward to close the laptop. Somehow it seemed easier not to have the file open and sat there between them.

“You’ve spent a good deal of time convincing me to trust you over the last few weeks, Tamren. And up until now, for the most part you’ve succeeded.” He paused to allow her to speak. When she didn’t make any effort to do so he pressed on. “You’ve assured me that your loyalty is to me and not the Bank. But how on earth am I meant to believe that’s true, Tam? You’re practically owned by them.”

Kevan knew this was coming out wrong but Tamren didn’t so much as blink. He’d expected her to be angry or upset or even apologetic. Her apparent blank indifference did not fit with any of the scenarios he’d imaged and it was certainly not helpful.

“Given how much you’ve read I should have thought that would be obvious by now,” she replied coolly. Kevan felt his frustration rising.

“You have a criminal record for Gods sake!”

“A juvenile record,” she snapped back before straightening up and adding, “Sir.”

Kevan paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. He hadn’t intended to bring that up, or certainly not in that manner. He’d read through the notes on her childhood and reckoned he could well imagine how many fights she would have ended up in. He supposed that was what had led her to her line of work - certainly she wasn’t easy to intimidate. And yet now she looked so distant and closed that he regretted ever starting the conversation. Why couldn’t he just have let it go and never spoken of it? Why couldn’t he have just fired her as he’d first intended? 

“I’m sorry, Tam –“

She cut him off sharply. “Its fine, Sir.” 

It clearly wasn’t fine, Kevan thought as she continued. “You had every right to do a background check. I should have known a government one would be more thorough than the usual. I understand you will no longer wish to have me in your service.”

Kevan shook his head. “That’s not what I said. I’m not dismissing you, Tam. Not yet, anyway.”

The mask slipped for a moment and she looked confused. “Why not?”

Kevan had been expecting a thank you. “Mostly because it would leave us rather understaffed on this trip.” That wasn’t strictly true but he was still irritated by her lack of response. “But, if you want me to consider the next few days an extended probation period rather than the end of your contract then I’m going to need an explanation.”

Tamren sat silent and wary seeming to weigh something up for a moment. Kevan waited until she nodded to him to continue.

“Why exactly are you here, Tam?”

 

 

Tamren didn’t know where to start. She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that she wasn’t currently being fired.

When she’d first walked in the room she’d expected to have an awkward conversation about professional boundaries or some such and instead she was having her past scrutinised by a man who looked almost as uncomfortable about it as she felt.

All she knew was that she needed some food and to sleep for probably twelve hours at this point. That and she needed to save her job.

“Nestoris approached me about a deal, to pay off my debt.” Tamren paused, remembering the afternoon the sneering Bank official had called her in to the office. “The Government owes the Bank an enormous amount of money and Nestoris, the bank in general, they’re worried a newer, more radical government won’t pay up. That’s why they’re backing your campaign. They trust your brother to ensure it’s covered.”

She knew this much wasn’t exactly news to him but Kevan nodded and waited patiently for her to continue.

“When your brother ended up in the hospital, no one knew what would happen. They decided you and Mr Tyrell were the next best hope for getting it sorted but weren’t sure what your game plan was. They wanted to ensure you were both safe. And, they wanted to keep tabs on your strategy to ensure their own investments were protected.”

Tamren realised she was speaking quickly now, each word leaving her feeling angrier and more drained the longer she went on.

“I . . . I owe the bank a considerable amount of money. I was promised that if I helped ensure your – the government’s – debt was paid, then they would consider mine paid as well.”

Kevan settled back into the sofa, a grim smile on his face that made Tamren doubt his earlier words that she wasn’t being dismissed.

“And to pass on information on me, as I first thought?”

“That was the plan originally, yes.” She couldn’t see much point in lying. “I was to keep tabs on who you met with and provide them with your itinerary. But they never got anything from me, Sir. I judged that there was too much of a risk to you in providing any information of your whereabouts.”

“And they’ve just accepted that have they?”

Kevan’s tone had hardened and Tamren could feel things slipping away from her.

“Because there were specific threats against you and my first job, my only job as far as I’m concerned, is to ensure you’re safe.” Tamren could hear the frustration in her own voice but was too tired and raw to do anything about containing it. “That and because your brother is back and honestly, they trust your policy at this point.”

Kevan closed his eyes for a moment and ran a hand through his hair. He looked exhausted and for a second in amongst all the anger she wondered whether his ankle was still bothering him.

“So let me get this clear. To have your debt paid, you just need me to survive this campaign, is that right?”

“I need you to win.” Tamren said. “And I need either you or your brother or someone not completely incompetent with money to sort the government’s finances. I’m not going to do anything that puts either you or this campaign at risk.”

Kevan didn’t speak. He held her gaze for a long moment and Tamren waited to be dismissed.

“I’m not an unreasonable man, Tamren,” he said eventually. “Nor am I naive enough to think you are the only member of staff with a somewhat chequered past - particularly amongst the security team. However, yours happens to be on record, which does leave me in a rather difficult position.”

Tamren stayed silent. She knew she should be all but begging him to keep her job, to give her the opportunity to finally clear her debt and get her life back. But bitterness had settled over her, clouding all thought and leaving her with nothing but a burning sense of injustice at just how little power she held over her own destiny. Whatever else she might have thought of Kevan, he was yet another powerful, wealthy man in her life. She would not beg him for anything, her pride would not allow it.

“You have been professional and reliable for the last few weeks so I am going to take a few days to consider how best to approach this,” Kevan continued. “I am also going to have to speak to Tywin about this - if he doesn’t already know.” Tamren bit back a sarcastic remark - of course he would. 

Kevan glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Your shift is over. Get some rest, Tam. I don’t think my ankle will be up to a workout, but I need you back here tomorrow morning, bright and early please.” 

She rose from the sofa the moment he finished speaking and Kevan walked her to the door – without a limp, she noted, which was reassuring. He stopped, one hand resting on the door handle but not opening it for her. When she glanced over at him, Tamren noted his expression was softer than it had been since she’d entered the room. For a brief moment she felt like she was looking at the man she was used to laughing and joking with every day for the last few weeks and a little of her anger ebbed away.

“You know, if you ever want to talk about any of this, then I can be quite a good listener on occasion,” Kevan said, his voice quieter than before.

Tamren nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Kevan must have misinterpreted her silence for a dismissal of his words as his brows furrowed in something like frustration again and he opened the door. Tamren stepped out without a backwards glance not daring to look at him.

 

 

The following few days felt torturous for Tamren as she waited to find out whether or not she would be sent back to Braavos and into indefinite service with the bank. She had barely slept the night after their talk. Instead she’d laid awake in the narrow, single bed in one of the rooms the security personnel had been quartered in, listening to her colleagues snoring and replaying Kevan’s words over and over in her mind.

Tamren hadn’t spoken about her situation to anyone over the last few years and it all felt overwhelming having it dragged back to the surface again unexpectedly. Processing the fact that amongst his obvious discomfort and frustration, Kevan seemed concerned rather than angry as she would have expected when she realised what he had found out, well that was somehow making it all harder. Rage and shouting, violent threats, these were all things Tamren knew how to process and how to mitigate. Gentle words and calm questioning were definitely not things she was used to.

She knew she had handled the situation badly. He’d given her opportunities to explain herself and she could have made a good case for staying without being reduced to grovelling at his feet as she’d initially felt she was being expected to do. But what was done was done and she mentally began preparing herself for what would inevitably be a tense conversation on their final day up North together.

Not that she had much time to dwell on it during the working day as Kevan had Joffrey on a tight schedule of walking tours at various companies. The meet and greets with workers brought Kevan into regular contact with potential threats and meant that Tamren was required to be on high alert for hours at a time. Though she kept a more cautious distance from Kevan than previously, careful to be as courteous and professional as possible, she was always at his side and ready to put herself between him and any hazard within an instant.

There was, however, nothing she could do to protect him from the stresses brought on by the workload he had taken on and the difficulties of corralling both Joffrey, who seemed to be growing increasingly bored with his duties, and Cersie, who had forced her way into the spotlight at nearly every opportunity. By the time they reached the final formal meal with VIP’s on the last night of the trip, Tamren thought Kevan looked tired and agitated.

The delegation from the government and their guests were seated in the hotel restaurant again and Tamren found herself one of a number of guards stood in the shadows around the edge of the room. Opposite her, the hulking figure of Sandor Clegane was stood silent and attentive with his ever present scowl in place and off to her left, Boros Blount was fidgeting and shifting his weight from foot to foot. Tamren tried to keep a straight face as she watched the portly guard shuffle on the spot, clearly uncomfortable with being expected to stand still for so long. Though Clegane was the more immediately intimidating of the two and had done nothing more than grunt affirmations at her whenever they had spoken, she knew which of the men she was happier working alongside.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a round of awkward laughter from the table at whatever comment Cersie had made. Tamren glanced over to the group, accidentally catching the eye of a beleaguered looking Kevan. Her stomach gave a jolt. They’d barely spoken over the last couple of days and this was potentially the last night she would stand guard for him. She knew she would have to return to the capital with him to gather her things but if his hesitation around her since their conversation was anything to go by, it would be a long and lonely flight back. Despite everything that had happened recently, there was a bit of her that would miss working for him, she realised. 

Kevan dropped her gaze after a long moment and she watched as he leant over to speak to a business man who had been introduced earlier in the evening as Ned Stark. He said something that elicited a more genuine laugh from the Northerner before taking a long swallow of wine and settling back in his chair. As Cersie leant across him to speak to Mr Stark, Tamren felt herself relax a little as Kevan looked over to her again and this time the corner of his lips twitched upward in a subtle smile.

 

 

Kevan was relieved to see his guard return his smile. He missed her. Or rather, he thought, as he took another sip of his wine after the waiter had re-filled his glass, he missed how things had been between them.

The last few days had felt like an endless monotony of meetings and handshakes, all of it barely interrupted by a few hours of fitful sleep each night. Kevan was keenly aware at every moment of the constant risk that a wrong word from either Cersie or Joffrey could undermine the whole campaign, and the weight of it sat heavy on his shoulders. Though his ankle had recovered quickly, he had not told Tamren this and without the hour together each morning in the gym he felt like he couldn’t remember the last time he’d truly relaxed. They’d not spoken properly since he’d sat her down in front of her file and it was eating away at him more than he knew it should be when he had so much else on his plate. 

Kevan knew he’d approached it all wrong, but Gods she’d made it difficult to talk that night and she’d been distant – both physically and metaphorically – ever since, to the point where he was left wondering if he would get any opportunity to speak to her before they flew back to Kings Landing.

He couldn’t fault her performance. She’d organised security at short notice for a number of meetings that had been rearranged and he’d felt her reassuring presence at his side constantly throughout every walk around, but it was always at a pace further back than he had grown used to. Every time he had attempted to start conversation she’d responded with polite answers rather than cheeky comments. Kevan knew he could order her to stand and listen to him or demand further answers from her, but just thinking about it felt wrong. The last thing he wanted was to reinforce his position over her or to see that cold, professional look on her face again.

He took another mouthful of his drink and tried to shake off his thoughts as he turned his attention back to the conversation unfolding around him. To Cersie’s left he could see the Premier listening with disinterest as one of Stark’s colleagues on the board of directors chatted away to him about profit margins on timber exports. Kevan had spent a lot of time focusing on Joffrey’s performance over the last few days and though he’d not managed to get the young man to seem enthusiastic about much of it, he had been mostly attentive and professional. 

His niece on the other hand, was causing him no end of headaches. She’d been belligerent ever since she had been informed Stark would be present at the dinner – something to do with a long held grudge from before Kevan had arrived in the capital, he’d picked up – and as the evening had worn on and the wine had flowed, he was conscious she was becoming less diplomatic with each passing minute.

“The Capital’s weather is less than ideal for softer fabrics this time of year but then of course you would be used to that,” she was saying to Stark’s wife who was wearing a tight smile in response.

Kevan noticed the waiter returning with the bottle of red and pre-emptively placed his hand over the top of Cersie’s glass as she continued speaking. “Though the fashions of the colder weather perhaps suit your figure better – no, top it up,” she said, brushing Kevan’s hand aside and nearly sending the dregs of wine over him. The waiter hovered in the background, uncertain of what to do.

“I believe we have already kept Mr Stark here long enough, Cersie. We have a very early flight to catch tomorrow.” Kevan kept his voice down, hoping not to provoke her any further. Judging by the sly smile he got in response he knew before she spoke that he’d failed.

“Uncle, I appreciate your kind concern. If you need some rest I’m sure your presence would not be too greatly missed. I understand that not all men have the vigour of Mr Stark as they age.”

Kevan felt his jaw tighten but he did not rise to her jibe. Instead he turned to the waiter, dismissing the young man with a thank you much to Cersie’s displeasure. When he turned back, Ned Stark was placing his napkin on the table and downing the last of his beer.

“I’ve a long day myself tomorrow so I think it’s time we knocked this on the head. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr Lannister, Premier,” he said, inclining his head to Joffrey and a smile to Kevan who was grateful for the backup. Stark had been quiet at first, perhaps something to do with Cersie’s presence, but he had a good business mind and offered useful ideas for how best to support the Northern industries that Kevan appreciated. “It has been a very insightful evening and I hope to take you up on your invite to the Capital very soon,” Stark said and rose from the table. Kevan followed suit, shaking his hand and then stepping back to allow Joffrey to say a final few words and exchange the necessary pleasantries with the rest of the business directors.

Cersie did not rise from her seat until the last of the industry leaders and their partners had left the restaurant and Joffrey had been escorted away by Clegane as well as a handful of sharp suited guards. When Kevan finally turned back to the table to gather his jacket his niece was watching him with a look of barely disguised displeasure marring her fine features.

“My father specifically requested I be present on this trip – you would do well to trust his judgement and allow me to better entertain our guests, Uncle.” She rose, a little unsteadily Kevan noted. “Talking shop may be useful in the short term, but building relationships is about more than statistics and stock market analysis.”

“Indeed,” Kevan replied. “I believe not insulting your guests is usually the best place to start.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tamren stood at ease and watching proceedings. She didn’t move from her position against the far wall, he assumed doing her best not to draw attention to herself, but her gaze was fixed on Cersie.

“Not boring them to death would help as well,” his niece said. “You might have filled Joff’s mind with ridiculous slogans and talking points but at least he has retained my personality, otherwise we really would all be in trouble at this election.” She gathered up her purse and stalked towards him. “You need to work on your dinner conversation, Kevan. Mr Blount?” She turned to call over Boros and Kevan saw her gaze linger on Tamren as his guard also took a step towards them. Cersie’s expression turned sly as she looked back to Kevan. “I notice you haven’t been for your usual morning run the last few days. Is your age catching up with you in that regard as well? Or have your staff also realised your conversation leaves something to be desired?”

Maybe it was the three glasses of wine he’d had with dinner, but that stung more than Kevan wanted to admit. He shrugged it off - he would not be drawn into her ridiculous games.

“I picked up a strain a few days ago and Mr Lannister’s pace is a bit more than I can manage currently. He’s kindly given me a few days off to fully recover.”

Kevan hadn’t noticed quite how close Tamren was until she spoke and he suddenly registered she’d moved back to her old position almost tucked tight to his side. It was certainly unnecessary in the empty restaurant but he wasn’t going to complain.

“How good of him,” Cersie replied to his guard who returned her hollow smile with a polite nod and familiar smirk that he recognised as being less than deferential. “Perhaps Uncle, you should consider taking a few days to recover from your own exertions.” With that she swept out of the restaurant. 

As he turned to her, Kevan was keenly aware that Tamren took a step back the moment Cersie’s figure had disappeared into the hotel lobby. “Ready to go, Sir?” she asked politely.

Kevan frowned before he could stop himself. Gods he was fed up with being “Sir” or “Mr Lannister” to everyone. The only time he seemed to have heard his name over the last few days was spilling from Cersie’s lips with a mocking venom that set him on edge, as much as he wanted to refuse to admit it.

“Lying to defend my pride is not something I expect you to do in my service, Tam.”

 

 

Tamren found herself matching his frown at those words. She wasn’t exactly sure why she’d spoken in his defence or what she’d hoped his response to that might be, but that was not it. 

“I’ll bear that in mind for the next twenty-four hours then, Sir.” It was an unnecessary comment but Tamren couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

Kevan’s frown deepened and he looked like he was going to respond then thought better of it as the sound of rattling cutlery and the clearing of plates reached their ears. Tam glanced over to the table to see a number of the waiting staff clearing the detritus from the meal. This really wasn’t the place for an argument.

“I’ll escort to your room then, Sir,” she said. Kevan gave an irritable sigh but turned and stalked to the lobby. Tamren fell into step behind him.

They did seem to be winding each other up at the moment and for a brief second as they made their way back to his room she couldn’t help but wonder if it was good thing she would be leaving his service tomorrow. Tamren watched Kevan’s back as they took the stairs. He was moving slower than usual and his shoulders had dropped. He was supressing a yawn when he glanced over his shoulder at her. “Is everything arranged for tomorrow’s flight?”

He had to know it was, she thought. Unless of course, the last few days hadn’t been enough to prove her worth as a guard.

“Yes, Sir. I have a team travelling ahead to close off the gate half an hour before our party arrives. Yours will be the first car on the runway and your driver knows to meet us at six am sharp.”

“Another five o’clock wake up. Wonderful,” Kevan muttered. “That’ll put Cersie in a good mood for the flight.”

Tamren moved alongside him as they reached the top of the stairs and turned down the corridor to his suite. Kevan was yawning again and rubbing a weary hand over his face.

“I’ll never understand how you put up with her comments.” Tamren said. She knew she was overstepping her role here but it hardly seemed worth worrying about at his point. If she was travelling home tomorrow anyway she might as well speak her mind. 

If Kevan was at all surprised by her comment he didn’t show it. “Cersie likes to get a rise out of people, as I’m sure you are aware. If you don’t play her game she soon gives up. It’s really not worth the hassle.”

“She might have a point though, Sir.” Kevan’s brows did rise at that and Tamren clarified quickly. “When was the last time you took a day off?”

He shrugged as they rounded the corner, passing a guard stood under a mirror at the far end of the hallway. Kevan seemed to consider her words as they approached his door. 

“I’m not sure. Maybe a few weeks before you arrived?” 

Tamren had suspected that might be the case. “Your schedule is currently free tomorrow, Sir.”

“Then I shall have an afternoon to myself in the Capital and you may have the day off,” Kevan said, patting his pockets as he presumably searched them for his room key.

Tamren gave him a pointed look. “You’ll sit in your office and work and I’ll stand outside your door until I’m dismissed.” He didn’t immediately disagree and she knew she was right. “There’s a fine line between professional and overdoing it, Sir.”

Kevan sighed in frustration. “I’m aware of that, Tamren.” He might not be quite as proud as his brother, but Tamren wondered if she might be the one who was approaching that line by questioning him. 

She took a gamble. “Why not take a day off here? Book a later flight back in the evening and you’ll still be back in the office in time for anything you need to do the following day.” 

Kevan looked thoughtful then shook his head. “I can’t divert security staff from the Premier’s party, you know that.”

Tamren was on a roll now. “You wouldn’t need to. The main risk to you is from within the Capital. No one would know you were staying and I’ll be with you.” This was her opportunity to put things right, she thought. Maybe there was still a chance to save her job and their working relationship.

Kevan looked uncertain and Tamren decided to try a different tactic. 

“If it’s no bother for you, Sir, I’d appreciate a day out of the office.”

Kevan seemed torn. He glanced down at his hands, turning his key card between his fingers as he weighed up her offer.

“Fine, yes," he said eventually. "I’ll leave you to make the necessary arrangements.” 

He was still looking down at his hands as he yawned so he missed Tamren’s relieved grin in response. “Thank you, Sir,” she replied, turning to leave before he could change his mind.

“Tam?” When she turned back to Kevan he was watching her from the open doorway of his room, his expression hard to read. “When it’s just us, I don’t consider it unprofessional for you to drop the Sir again.”

Tamren nodded. When she finally made it to bed a while later, she fell into the sheets feeling tired but more relaxed than she had in days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This dialogue heavy chapter is brought to you very delayed by the rugby world cup being on and my inability to concentrate on anything else. I have already started writing Tam and Kevan’s big day out but it might be a little while before it’s done.


	8. Chapter 8

Despite the earliness of the hour, the hotel lobby was surprisingly busy when Kevan descended the stairs followed by the guard who had been stood on duty near his door. It seemed most of the security staff that had accompanied them from Kings Landing were milling around waiting to leave and ferrying luggage back and forth. 

As they made their way to the front desk to check out, Kevan spotted Tamren seated at a low table near the window, drinking coffee and flicking though the morning newspapers. She didn’t look up as he handed over his key card and signed the business tab, apparently engrossed in whatever she was reading.

“Please take this with you and ensure it is sent to my rooms when you get back,” Kevan said, and handed his suitcase to the young guard. The man gave a polite nod and joined his colleagues heading to the cars waiting out front of the building. 

Kevan shouldered his laptop case and made his way towards his bodyguard, a strange feeling of nervousness uncoiling in is his stomach as he approached her table. She was dressed in her usual uniform of black suit and crisp white shirt but she had left her hair loose and spilling around her shoulders, the only indication that she was currently off duty. It felt strange, he thought, to be observing her without her knowing he was present. He watched her eyes roam over the pages in front of her, her sharp features relaxed. It had certainly taken some getting used to, having someone always at his side and constantly watching over him, but it had become more of a reassurance than a burden over the last few weeks to turn around and find her gaze on him already or her body angled towards his as she scanned a crowd around them.

Tamren must have caught his movements out the corner of her eye as he saw her glance up and then do a double take, her eyes widening in surprise as she spotted him. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth as she straightened up in her chair and looked at her watch.

“May I join you?” he asked, suddenly feeling awkward about interrupting her personal time. 

Tamren nodded. “Apologies, Sir. I’d have met you at your room, but I figured you’d want a lie in.”

Kevan laughed quietly. “I’m not sure I’m capable of sleeping past six in the morning at this point.” He slid into the seat opposite her and carefully set his laptop case down by his feet. When he looked up Tamren was staring over his shoulder and frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you come down alone?”

Kevan almost laughed again but stopped short as she looked genuinely worried. “No, I had the guard on duty on my floor escort me down. Don’t worry, you’ve taught me better than that, Tam.” That won a somewhat begrudging smile from her and Kevan relaxed a little. A few weeks ago her concern would have seemed irrational and have irritated him, he knew. Now, well, he had to admit it was rather nice having someone watching his back and thinking of him, even if they were required to do so for work.

He tried to push that last thought aside and reached for a discarded paper, sliding it across the polished surface of the coffee table. The front cover carried an image of Joffrey in a hard hat and hi visibility vest as he toured a building site for a new hospital. Kevan could see himself and Tam stood in the background of the photograph, his eyes resting on Joffrey and her eyes on him.

“They’re all very complimentary,” Tamren said, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up as she folded the paper in her hands and placed it back in the rack beside her. “I’m sure your brother will be very happy with the coverage.”

Kevan didn’t get a chance to respond to that as the noise level in the lobby suddenly rose a notch and a group of black suited bodies swept through leading Joffrey and Cersie to the waiting limo out front. Neither the Premier nor his mother looked over to where Kevan and Tamren sat together in the window, instead ducking out into the grey early morning drizzle of Winterfell city and huddling under the umbrellas held by the security staff.

“I’ve already notified your driver you won’t be following,” Kevan heard Tamren say. He watched through the glass panes as the group descended the steps at the front of the building. “Your return flight is booked for four thirty this afternoon so all being well we should arrive back at the Parliamentary buildings no later than half nine.”

That was good, Kevan thought. As much as he was determined to enjoy his day off he really didn’t want to be back too late as he would inevitably have a full day of meetings the following day and a debrief would be required with Tywin.

“What did you tell your brother?” Tamren asked, her thoughts clearly uncomfortably close to his own.

“That I had some business to attend to here and would be back later tonight.”

Tamren was doing a very bad job of supressing a grin when he looked over at her and Kevan felt his residual guilt at playing truant ebb a little. After she had left last night and he had felt the numbing effects of the wine wear off he’d started to doubt whether this was truly a good idea, but he’d reasoned that Tamren would have likely already changed the security arrangements for the day and he didn’t want to add to her work load by switching the plan back again. Besides, he thought, he really did have the matter of her employment status with him to resolve.

“Shall we order breakfast here?” he asked eventually, changing the subject so he wouldn’t have to consider why he was lying to his brother in order to spend the day with his guard.

Tamren agreed and they moved through into the restaurant. Kevan let her choose the table and she led him to one near the back corner of the room. It was tucked out of the view of the double doors that opened onto the hotel lobby and therefore they could not be seen by guests passing by on their way to check in. It was also relatively close to an emergency exit and he noted Tamren made to walk past the table, presumably to take up a sentry position against the wall next to it. Kevan stopped her with a hand on her arm. 

“Take a seat, Tam.” 

She looked uncertain and Kevan pulled out a chair on the far side of the table that would give her a view over the restaurant floor. “I’m meant to be keeping a low profile today. If you hover over me like that it’s just drawing attention.” Tamren didn’t disagree with that but she still looked a little uncomfortable. “I’m more likely to have a heart attack from all these greasy breakfasts they serve up here than I am to be attacked,” he added.

“That is not reassuring,” she replied with a frown, but Kevan was pleased when she didn’t argue further and rounded the table to slide into the seat he offered her.

A waitress appeared almost as soon as he had taken his own seat and handed over the menu. Kevan was already familiar with the hotel’s breakfast offerings having eaten in the restaurant over the last few days but Tamren was scanning the menu with a raised eyebrow as she considered her choices. 

“Gods this really is all a coronary waiting to happen isn’t it?” she said, not looking up as she weighed up her choices. “Full fry up it is then I suppose.” She sounded somewhat reluctant about it as she set her menu down. Kevan rolled his eyes but didn’t comment. She might have won him over with their morning workouts but he had yet to come round to her attitude of food being fuel rather than something to be enjoyed.

They placed their order quickly and lapsed into a somewhat awkward silence that Kevan attempted to fill with small talk about how the trip had gone. Once he managed to get Tamren onto the subject of the security arrangements at the various venues they had visited she became more animated and Kevan found himself laughing and relaxing in her company. 

He had to admit that at first it had felt strange to be sitting together rather than their usual routine of glancing at each other whilst he ate or entertained guests and she stood sentry in the background. It felt like a secret only he was in on when he would look up to see her biting back a laugh or rolling her eyes at something that had been said. Though he was aware it wasn’t entirely professional of him, those brief moments did make the long days easier.

By the time they had finished eating, his guard had loosened up enough to have shed her jacket and was grinning as they chatted back and forth whilst the two of them imagined increasingly awful scenarios for how the private flight back would be going without his presence there to keep everyone in check. Usually the thought would have concerned Kevan, but it was all government staff present on the plane and any bad behaviour would be contained to those sworn to secrecy. And besides, for once it wasn’t his problem – not when he was enjoying a casual breakfast without the threat of any meetings looming and his guard was smiling at him like that across the table. 

 

 

Tamren drained the last of her coffee and watched Kevan settle back in his chair with a smile. After seeming a little apprehensive initially, he had been relaxed throughout their breakfast and after spending most of the previous night worrying about how today would go, she was glad a little of their easy relationship seemed to have returned. Still, there was something she knew she needed to say if she was going to stand any chance of keeping her contract. 

Tamren felt the smile slip from her face as she tried to remember the words she’d been running through in her mind all morning. Kevan must have noticed the change in her demeanour as he straightened up, his expression softening.

“I’m sorry that -” she started, cut off by Kevan suddenly speaking at the same time.

“Tam, I wanted to apologise-”

They both stopped abruptly, sharing an awkward laugh for a moment before Kevan gestured for her to continue. Tamren took a breath before holding his gaze and continuing.

“I’m sorry for how I handled things the other night. I was tired and frustrated and it was unprofessional of me. You had every right to do what you did and to question me. I just, I haven’t had to speak about this with anyone in a while.” It wasn’t quite what she’d scripted in her head whilst she’d been looking through the morning papers and weighing up when would be best to head up to his room, but it felt like she needed to just get the words out as fast as possible and Kevan was listening attentively. “If I was short with you, I hope you can forgive me?”

Kevan gave her a gentle smile. “You needn’t apologise, Tam, I can understand why you were angry. I didn’t think things through very well beforehand and I should have considered my words better. I hope we can put this behind us for today?”

Tamren nodded but felt crestfallen at his words – it seemed his mind was already made up then and this would be their last day together.

“Of course, Sir – Kevan,” she said, correcting herself as she remembered his request the previous night. She tried to keep her tone light as she fought back the disappointment and uncertainty of knowing she would be heading back to Braavos and back to the Bank. She fixed a grin to her face that she hoped didn’t look as false as it felt. “I hope you’ll still be happy to provide me with a good reference?”

Kevan frowned, something like confusion etched on his face. He didn’t get a chance to respond though as the waitress appeared beside their table.

“May I clear the table, Sir, Ma’am?”

Kevan glanced up at her with a nod and Tamren held his gaze when he looked back to her whilst the young woman began to stack the plates onto her arm.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Tamren asked, changing the subject before things could get any more uncomfortable. The young woman continued gathering up the mugs and cutlery between them whilst Kevan looked suddenly uncertain.

“I’m not sure. I hadn’t thought that far ahead if I’m honest,” he replied.

“If you have some free time, I’d recommend the museum,” the waitress said with a smile. Tamren tore her gaze away from Kevan for a moment and looked up at her as she stood balancing the breakfast things. “It’s not that far a walk from here and it’s free. I can get you a city map as well if you’d like? It has all the points of interest listed.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tamren replied and looked to Kevan.

“That would be much appreciated, thank you,” he said to the waitress. The young woman flashed him a smile and disappeared off to the kitchen.

Tamren saw Kevan dig his wallet out of his jacket – the one she’d assisted him in purchasing, she noted, which seemed to have quickly become a favourite – and as she watched him counting out bills she was suddenly unsure what the correct procedure was here. Strictly she was working as she would still be continuing her duties as his guard for the day, but they had shared breakfast together.

“Did you want to go halves?” she asked eventually, pulling her own wallet from her inside pocket. Kevan glanced up and gave her an odd look.

“Of course not. No, really Tam, you don’t need to do that.” Tamren almost jumped when he suddenly reached across the table, his hand closing over her own as she went to draw her cash out. She only had a second to note the warm weight of his palm whilst she tucked the notes away, before he withdrew it and the waitress appeared again at the table with the bill in hand. She set it down between them along with a handful of tourist information brochures. Tamren slid one over and pretended to be intensely interested whilst Kevan paid the bill, adding on a generous tip.

“So, anything catch your eye?” he asked once the waitress had left.

Under other circumstances, Tamren’s natural reaction to that would have been to look up at him with a smirk. A few days ago she would have maybe even expected a smile from him in response. But the sensation of his hand closing over her own was still lingering along with a little residual awkwardness from their conversation so she simply turned the map and pushed it to the centre of the table so Kevan could get a better look at it.

 

 

They stepped out of the museum a few hours later and Kevan felt the first heavy raindrops spatter his shoulders in his suit. The patter of them was clearly audible on the concrete steps around them as Tamren stepped up close beside him, turning the now somewhat crumpled tourist map in her hands as she attempted to catch their bearings and plan the walk to the last stop on their little tour of Winterfell city.

Winterfell museum wasn’t quite to the standards of the huge national museum in Kings Landing, but there were a number of interesting items and he’d found himself quietly charmed by Tamren’s enthusiasm as they’d made their way amongst the exhibits. He’d assumed that perhaps she was just humouring him when she had agreed to their sightseeing plans earlier in the day, but then she’d started reeling off little historical anecdotes as they’d walked around the early Westerosi history section and he’d suddenly remembered she did have a degree in the subject. It had felt a little too soon to bring up her past after their awkward mutual apology over breakfast so rather than ask her about her University days he had done his best to recall his own education and join in with the bits and pieces he remembered. 

Although strictly she was still working, Tamren didn’t have too much to do whilst they were walking amongst the exhibits and he was glad she was able to take the time to appreciate them. Kevan’s attempts to keep as much of a low profile as possible during the campaign seemed to have mostly paid off as only a handful of people recognised him and those who did only stared rather than approach. At those moments Tam would continue talking but he could see her focus switch to the crowd around them and her body language shifted as she drew closer to him. Still, no one had stopped them and they had even managed to sit down long enough to have a coffee and share a rather expensive cake in the museum’s café that, though Kevan was fairly confident she couldn’t afford it, Tamren had paid for before he could intervene. He was quite confident any discussion of finances would only lower her mood and as the day was going so well he didn’t bring it up.

“Ok we need to head East past the main square towards the University and then . . .” He looked over to see her tracing a finger across the map and then glance up to look down the road ahead of them. “Two streets over from the main building we should find it.”

“You’re sure?” The rain was really starting to come down now and he didn’t want to spend much longer stood outside if he could help it. Tamren had admitted already that she hadn’t spent much time in Winterfell city in some years but she had still had the odd work related anecdote for him about some of the places they had passed on their way to the museum.

“I’m absolutely sure – I’ve been to the University main building before when I worked for a young actress,” she said. “You wouldn’t forget it either if you’d been mobbed by paparazzi outside it and had to fend off a horde of screaming kids desperately trying to get at their idol. Honestly, the hardest job I’ve ever done.” Kevan gave her a sceptical look. Given he’d seen the list of names on her file, he somewhat doubted that. “Seriously!” she said, setting off at a brisk walk, Kevan following beside her. “Teenage girls are smart and fast and they will absolutely outflank you when you’re not looking.”

As they continued making their way down the quiet road the rain began to beat a steady rhythm around them, until soon enough it was coming down hard and fast. They ducked into the shelter of a deep alcove window of a shopfront momentarily, standing tight together to keep out of the worst of the rain. 

“How close are we?” he asked. 

Kevan could feel his hair plastering to his scalp and when he looked over to her Tamren was wrapping her sodden jacket around herself and peering out through the sheet of rain whilst she tried to keep the map as dry as possible. Kevan ducked his head in closer to her and put his back to the weather so they could both huddle over the map. 

“Almost there,” she glanced over her shoulder and Kevan saw her face split into a grin. “It should be just over the street.” She pointed to a narrow pass at the edge of what appeared to be one of the University buildings and tucked the map inside her jacket. Neither of them moved for a moment, peering out through the deluge and watching cars flash past, spraying water onto the pavement as they went.

“I don’t think this is going to let up any time soon,” he said. He could feel Tamren shiver beside him and he nudged in closer to her before he’d really thought about what he was doing. “We’re going to have to make a run for it.”

She glanced over at him and nodded her agreement.

 

 

Tamren found herself laughing at the absurdity of the situation as they both dashed across the road during a break in the traffic. Kevan was close behind her as she ducked inside the archway of the chapel and out of the downpour. As they came to a halt in the entranceway she shook out her arms sending a cascade of water onto the floor from her sodden jacket sleeves.

“Good grief, we both look like we’ve gone for a dip in the river,” Kevan grumbled good naturedly next to her and Tamren looked up to see him swiping his wet hair off his forehead. She could feel her shirt clinging to her skin and was uncomfortably conscious that the white cotton would be somewhat see through at this point. She tugged her jacket closed and buttoned it up as they both headed down the narrow passage that lead through what must have been a remnant of the old castle wall.

They both fell into silence as they made their way between the cold grey stone of the narrow passage which suddenly opened out into a great vaulted chapel that reminded Tamren of the churches dedicated to the Seven, only instead of an alter, towards the farthest end sat the enormous figure of an ancient Weirwood tree. Above it, a great glass dome allowed the grey light of the Winterfell sky to strike the pale branches of the tree and light it up in a way that made it seem to almost glow.

At first it didn’t appear there was anyone else present but as Tamren felt herself drawn towards the tree she noticed an elderly woman dressed in a white habit stood silently near the prayer candles towards the rear of the chapel. The Sister gave a slight bow to them that Tamren returned awkwardly. With Kevan following beside her, she made her way between the narrow wooden pews and halted in front of the Weirwood. The heavy patter of the rain on the glass dome was clearly audible along with a drip that she soon realised was the water running off her sleeves.

“Well, I have to admit, that is a sight worth a soaking for,” Kevan said, voice low.

Tamren nodded agreement. The tree towered over them, filling the entire back end of the chapel. The face carved into its trunk seemed to peer back at them, eyes empty and watching and some of the leaves had drifted down to the ground below creating a blanket of blood coloured foliage on the flagstones.

“How does it keep growing?” Kevan asked. Tamren pointed up at the roof.

“See the golden metal edging between the panes? They open up, like petals to allow in the water and the sunlight.”

When she looked over at him, Kevan was gazing intently up at the Weirwood, his expression suddenly strangely wistful. Though she knew like most southerners he worshipped the Seven, she wasn’t sure if there was any connection to the old religions in his family. Rather than intrude on his thoughts should he wish to pray, Tamren left him to take in the great tree choosing instead to walk a lap of the chapel to view the tapestries strung along the walls.

She tried to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible as she strolled along the length of the wall, taking in the intricate work of the tapestry and marvelling at the detail on the figures stitched into the heavy fabric. It was a little faded and a little moth eaten in places but many of the colours were still there and the images clear enough that Tamren could easily follow along with the story being depicted. Some of her favourite childhood tales were picked out in thread before her – the same ones she used to play act with her brother years ago.

“So, what am I looking at here?”

Tamren was so lost in her memories she almost jumped when Kevan appeared at her side. She immediately felt guilty. They might well be all but alone and in a place of worship, but she was still meant to be watching over him.

“Some of the history of Winterfell but mostly the folk tales of heroes fighting night kings and white walkers and giants,” she said eventually. She was fairly confident Kevan knew all of this and was just humouring her but his gaze followed her outstretched hand as she pointed out different parts of the tapestry. 

They walked around the chapel together, Tamren recounting the basics of the stories they had all learnt as children and Kevan listening attentively, occasionally interjecting with a question, until they reached a final tapestry hanging on the wall closest to the Weirwood. Tamren took a seat in the narrow pew at the front and Kevan joined her. “This was my favourite fairy tale as a kid. The battle of Winterfell, when dragons and knights defeated the darkness.” 

She saw Kevan raise his eyebrows at that but was relieved when he didn’t laugh. “I thought you preferred real history?” he said

“I loved the old stories. Tom – my brother - he used to tell them to me at night and we’d act them out together. I loved the escape. We didn’t have to worry about where we were or what home we were going to or who would take us in next. We could just pretend to be heroes and hear about good people saving the world.”

Kevan gave a nod of understanding. “Lancel loved hearing about the first men and direwolves and all sorts of things as a boy. He’s always had quite the imagination.” He gave a wry smile. “He gets that from his mother rather than me. I mostly helped him with his homework, but Dorna would read him stories and I’d come home from work to find he was already asleep. ” That wistful look had returned Tamren noticed and she felt like she might be intruding on his thoughts again. She was a little surprised when he continued. “I’ve always wondered if that was why he took to religion so much and went off on his travels like his mother, searching for something.”

“How long has he been away?” Tamren asked, intrigued now he had begun to speak of his family.

“Six months now.” Kevan looked over to her and reached inside his jacket, drawing out his phone. “We don’t get to speak very often due to the time difference, but he sends me updates.”

She leant over a little as he scrolled through images of his tall, sandy haired Son in various temples and places of worship. He had his father’s jawline, Tamren thought, and the same intelligent, compassionate gaze. She glanced up at Kevan. He was focused on the photos, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked at the images of his son exploring markets and forests and apparently more than a few bars.

“I thought he was on some religious travelling experience,” she teased. Kevan gave a quiet laugh.

“Yes, it seems to have expanded into more of a cultural trip. He’s always been a very inquisitive and thoughtful young man and he seems to be having a good time.” There was a note of pride to his voice that Tamren found quite endearing. 

“I’m hoping he might come home for a little while soon though,” he said. Tamren hadn’t heard him speak much of his Son before but it was clear he missed him. She couldn’t think of an appropriate response, Tom had been away for so much of her life since their childhood and she had spent so much time relying on just herself that she wasn’t sure she could truly understand the loss of being separated from a child like that. She was grateful when Kevan changed the subject himself. “So with your love of fairytales and folklore, what made you study history?”

“Learning from mistakes. Unravelling mysteries, finding new facts. I think I’d have wanted to be a reporter if I hadn’t ended up, well, doing what I’m doing.”

Kevan raised an eyebrow at that. “I’d imagine in your line of work you would have any number of scandals you could break.”

Tamren laughed. “A few, definitely. Maybe one day I’ll write a really scandalous memoir about life as a bodyguard for the rich and famous of Westeros. Or get someone to ghost write it anyway. You have a business degree right?”

Kevan nodded. “My education was rather dry. Business and politics mostly. Tywin pointed me towards what we needed for the company and he made good choices. He studied the same at the same University a few years ahead of me. Did your brother go to university?”

Tamren winced. “My brother went to prison. Then the army, but first prison.”

“Sorry, Tam, I didn’t mean– “

“It’s fine.” Tamren shrugged and gave him a smile as he really did look contrite about the comment. Her clothes were sticking to her, damp and clammy as Kevan’s warm body next her kept out the chill. She could still hear the slowing patter of rain on the glass overhead and the ethereal glow of the tree in front of them was bathing the room in an odd half-light. Something about it all lead her to speak in a manner she wasn’t sure she could have done under other circumstances.

“My older brother, he was good at getting into fights,” she started, picking her words cautiously. “He was all the family I had so I got pretty good at backing him up. When we were kids it was just stupid playground stuff that sometimes spilled over and the police got involved. When we got older, well it got nastier.”

Kevan shifted beside her so his body was angled towards her and Tamren felt the solid weight of his thigh move against her own. She looked up to see his face etched with concern. “You don’t have to tell me this if you don’t want to.” His voice was low and gentle and Tamren felt more comfortable continuing despite his words.

“I was fifteen and living with a foster family – a good one as well. Tom was eighteen so he’d already left child services and was making his own money and had a flat. He promised if he could get enough cash together I could go and live with him.” She paused, smiling at the memory. Kevan did not push her to continue but he was listening with rapt attention. “I idolised my brother and it seemed like a good idea at the time, but he got into some debt trouble with a gang and one day when we were out together they jumped him.” She’d replayed the images from that afternoon over and over in her mind so many times she was sure she could recount every blow, every punch, every second of fighting. She’d spare him most of the bloody details. “Cutting a long story short, I guess a couple of them didn’t expect me to put up so much of a fight. I broke one guy’s ribs and they punctured a lung. He ended up in hospital and I ended up being arrested. So did Tom. The judge knew of the assailants and took into account my age and the situation. I got a suspended sentence. Community service, meetings, that kind of thing. Tom got a longer one in an adult jail. He only served a year but he was never the same after that.”

Tamren finished speaking and looked away from Kevan, intently focused on watching the path of the rain as it made its way down the glass dome. She wasn’t sure why it had felt necessary to explain what had happened but it felt right to get it out.

“I hope this doesn’t lower your opinion of me.”

 

 

“Of course not.” Kevan didn’t take his eyes off Tamren. She was staring into space, her expression difficult to read. He wanted to reach for her, to rest his hand on her shoulder and reassure her but he wasn’t sure she’d appreciate it. “You fought for yourself and your family. That’s rather admirable, whatever the outcome might have been.”

She gave a humourless smile. “I was stupid and reckless and it all escalated very quickly but I can assure you I’ve gotten a lot better at handling that sort of situation now.” Kevan nodded, he didn’t doubt that for a moment. “Anyway, now you know. I suppose you and Tywin probably got into your fair share of fights?” she added, her tone with a forced note of humour.

Kevan huffed a laugh under his breath. “Good grief no, everyone was terrified of Ty. They wouldn’t touch him and by default, me either. I had a few scraps on the sports field but I won’t pretend I’ve had to do what you did.” He could understand her reasons, he supposed he would have done the same for Tywin had he ever needed to, but really their upbringings couldn’t have been more different. “I don’t think any less of you for this, Tam. You’ve done a wonderful job. I feel very reassured having you at my side.”

She looked disappointed, almost sad Kevan thought, which wasn’t the reaction he had intended to provoke at all. 

“So, how soon do I need to book my flight back to Braavos?” she asked. Kevan frowned but she carried on before he could speak. “If you could give me a day to make the necessary arrangements, then I can do a full security hand over with Brienne for whoever takes my place. There’s a few things I want to make them aware of -”

Kevan finally did rest his hand on her arm, feeling the wet fabric under his fingers as he cut her off. “Hold on, Tam, I’m not firing you. Or, not having you removed, or whatever the situation is here.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’d like you to stay,” he clarified gently. 

She looked genuinely shocked, her features creased with a frown of confusion. “Why?”

Kevan stalled. She was watching him carefully now. “What would you have done if you’d been presented this information three weeks ago?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” That wasn’t true though, he knew. Judging by the sceptical look Tamren was wearing, she knew that as well. He would have had her removed. He’d have gone back to the Bank and demanded a more suitable replacement if they had truly insisted on him having a guard.

“I’d have declined to take you on,” he admitted. But now there was the very real chance she actually might be leaving his service for his brother’s, Kevan found that wasn’t what he wanted at all.

“And what’s changed?” she asked.

“We work well together,” he replied, choosing his words cautiously. “I’m not particularly keen to have anyone else following me around and standing in corridors waiting for me. I certainly don’t want anyone else watching me drip sweat everywhere and injure myself every morning.”

That raised a genuine smile from her so he continued. “I’ve never had a personal guard before - I’ve never needed one. And, well, at this point I think it might be better the devil you know – metaphorically speaking.”

She hadn’t dropped his gaze at any point whilst he had been speaking, her eyes focused and intent upon him. Kevan was uncomfortably aware of the weight of the opportunity he was offering her by having her stay. “Everyone deserves a second chance, Tam.”

“I think I might be on about my third or fourth by this point,” she said with a quiet laugh but then her expression turned to one of gratitude. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

“I know.” For a moment they shared a long look, Kevan suddenly feeling rather clammy in his damp suit. He cleared his throat and shifted on the hard wooden bench. “Now, I believe we have a flight to catch.” 

He rose from the pew, digging his phone back out of his pocket as he went. “I suppose I had better take a photo for Lancel before we go. He’ll be very pleased I visited.”

Tamren stood with him and reached for his phone. “Go and stand in front of the tree then,” she said. “I’m sure he’d appreciate a selfie more but I can’t see you taking one so this is the next best thing.”

That wasn’t quite what he had intended, Kevan thought, but he agreed and went to stand in front of the huge Weirwood. He felt strangely self-conscious in front of Tamren - he didn’t exactly feel he was looking his best at the moment, given how soggy he was but Tamren was mercifully quick about it as she snapped a couple of pictures. 

She finished up and walked over to him in front of the tree, handing the phone to him but reaching over to scroll through briefly to show him a couple of the images.

“Would you like a photo together?”

They both looked up from his phone to see the old sister in the habit stood a few feet away near a collection of lit candles. In the midst of their conversation, Kevan had completely forgotten she was present.

“I, err . . .”

“Yes, we would, thank you,” Tamren said, walking the short distance to the woman and handing over her phone after showing her how to take a picture. Kevan stood, feeling awkward and uncertain what to do with hands when she returned to his side and shot him a grin.

“In a little closer,” the woman said, waving her hand to indicate they should stand together. Kevan felt Tamren’s damp shoulder bump up against his own and glanced over in time to catch her eye. “That’s it, smile at the camera!” Tamren sniggered and Kevan felt a strange warmth in his chest at the noise as he smiled back at her.

“Wonderful,” the woman said when they had parted. Kevan waited whilst Tamren joined her and took her time apparently scrolling through the images. He saw her thank the old lady and place a donation in the box by the candles. The woman lent in and said something, grasping Tam’s hand briefly and it might have been his imagination or just the play of the candle light across her face, but he thought he saw Tamren blush.

“What did she say?” he asked when his guard finally re-joined him and the two of them headed for the exit. 

Tamren remained silent for a second and then looked over at him with an enigmatic expression as they stepped out into the mercifully dry air of the city. “She said we make a lovely couple.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter was inspired by getting drenched on the way to work repeatedly. They do say you should go for a walk when you have writers block . . . I promise there will be a bit more actual plot in the next chapter.  
> Also, if anyone is at all interested in what I listen to when writing, I’ve had this on repeat since it came out. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sV46Eo5J10


	9. Chapter 9

Tamren shivered and shifted against the uncomfortable plastic of her seat in the departure lounge, silently cursing whoever had decided it was appropriate to have the aircon blowing a gale from the unit above her.

Winterfell airport was tiny in comparison to Kings Landing or Braavos and as they were getting a charter flight back she was all but alone whilst waiting to board the flight. It was positive in the sense that she didn’t have to concern herself too much with Kevan’s safety, but it did mean that there wasn’t even the possibility of people watching to pass the time. Kevan himself was currently wandering around the gift shop which, along with a tiny café and bar, comprised the only shops in their terminal. Tamren could see him clearly from where she was sat, presumably looking for something for Lancel, so she didn’t feel too worried about not being at his side.

Attempting to distract herself from the uncomfortable sensation of her damp suit jacket weighing on her shoulders, she pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled through the images from the chapel. There were a couple that were framed quite nicely of the two of them, both facing the camera with polite smiles and the tree clear in the background. But it was the first image that the Chapel Sister had taken that Tamren had decided was her favourite. In it, they were stood shoulder to soggy shoulder and she could see herself glancing up at Kevan with a grin. But it was the warmth in Kevan’s eyes as he looked over at her with his customary small smile that left her with an unfamiliar tightness in her chest.

“Here you go. I’m afraid it’s all rather tacky tourist fare but it’ll have to do.”

Tamren pressed the menu button to blank the screen as she looked up to see Kevan stood in front of her and immediately had to supress a laugh. He had ditched his damp jacket for a navy sweatshirt with “I heart Winterfell” printed across it.

“I’m surprised you didn’t opt for red,” she said.

Kevan shrugged. “Yes, well I seem to remember someone recently told me I looked good in blue,” he said with a smile before passing her a grey sweatshirt with the wolf logo of the local sports team on the chest.

“You didn’t have to - ”

“Nonsense,” Kevan cut her off, taking a seat beside her. “You can’t sit there in wet clothes for the next four hours.”

Tamren was quite touched by his concern but she accepted the sweatshirt awkwardly, shrugging out of her jacket and pulling the jumper on over her head. “How much do I owe you?” she asked, straightening out her hair and tugging the hem down. It was slightly too big but certainly warm enough.

Kevan didn’t look over at her, instead focused on the departure board as the sign next to their flight number changed to indicate they could now begin boarding. “Nothing,” he said. “I’m considering it a business expense.”

They were first onto the tiny charter flight, Tamren having already contacted airport security to make them aware of the security arrangements that needed to be in place for Kevan. She was pleased with how smoothly everything had gone and thanked the air hostess who showed them to their seats. Kevan was unusually quiet as they buckled up and she was beginning to wonder if something was wrong when he turned to her.

“Thank you for today,” he said as the propellers began to thrum and they taxied down the runway. “I wouldn’t have been able to justify taking the day off if you hadn’t suggested it. I needed this.”

Tamren shot him a customary grin, feeling a little smug about convincing him to play truant for once. It faded a little when she caught his eye. Kevan’s expression was a little more sincere than she had been expecting and she suddenly felt a little unsure how to proceed. “Always happy to be the bad influence, Sir,” she joked.

Once they were in the air she settled in to her seat and started flicking through the inflight magazine. Kevan had an evening newspaper open in front of him but he was asleep within minutes, a fact Tamren became suddenly very aware of when his head rolled onto her shoulder and the back of his hand connected with her thigh.

She stilled, waiting for Kevan to shift his position or wake up, but he seemed to be deep under. She could hear his breathing coming slow and even and he was apparently comfortable enough not to move. They were at the front of the tiny charter plane so it wasn’t as if any of the other passengers could see them but still, Tamren figured he wouldn’t be too happy to wake up and find himself in this position. At the very least she needed to move his hand from the position it was in on her leg.

With a little reluctance and doing her best not to move her shoulder, Tamren reached for his hand and slid it back to his own thigh. Before she could withdraw her hand, Kevan gave a shallow sigh in his sleep and his fingers twitched closed around her own.

Tamren froze, unable to pull her eyes or her hand away from where theirs rested entwined on his leg. He wasn’t that much taller than her own 5’7 frame, but his hand dwarfed her own. His palm was warm and, except for some callouses that were beginning to form at the base of his fingers, his skin was soft - the mark of a man who earnt his money behind a desk, she thought as she noticed how much the scarring on her knuckles stood out in comparison to his weathered skin. She ran her thumb over his knuckles and his only reaction was to subtly tighten his grip on her fingers.

It had been a few years since she had felt a connection with anyone – there’d been far too much to deal with. Too much uncertainty, too much time away. And now suddenly here was this man who knew who she was and what she had done and he offered her warm smiles and support and a chance of putting it all right again. It all felt a little too comfortable, she thought. After all, he was a client and this definitely breached rule number one of the profession – don’t get involved on the job. But was it so wrong to take just a little comfort where she could find it? The two of them might have been awkwardly at odds over most of the trip but after everything today it once again felt like they were in it together rather than that she was under his command.

She turned her head slightly towards his, noting the way his close-cropped hair brushed against her cheek as she glanced down at him. She knew from years of experience with cramped commuter trains that all it would take to wake him would be a subtle roll of her shoulders or a quick cough. He would probably move on his own in a moment anyway, she reasoned. And besides, if he was this relaxed finally then it meant she was doing her job right.

She’d make sure to remove her hand before he woke, she thought.

 

 

 

Kevan woke, slightly bleary-eyed and a little confused, as he felt the plane touch down with a gentle jolt. His fingers tightened around something warm and soft in his palm and he looked down with some surprise to see Tamren’s hand resting within his own. He only had a moment to register how strangely comfortable that felt before Tamren raised her head from where it had been resting against his own, stretched awkwardly in her seat and drew her hand away, raising it to her face to hide a yawn.

It wasn’t entirely clear whether he had fallen asleep on his guard or whether she had drifted off against him, but either way, Kevan wondered if he should apologise. Tamren didn’t seem uncomfortable with the situation, in fact, she hadn’t commented on it at all, only given him a slightly sleepy smile and begun gathering her things. Before he could consider any further whether he should say anything, the voice of the Captain over the intercom cut through his thoughts and the plane began to swing around and slow on its approach to the terminal.

“Thank you from myself and all of the crew for joining us on this flight. For those of you who will be leaving us to head into the city, please be aware that there is heavy traffic and extensive road closures around the centre of town near the Parliamentary buildings. This is due to an ongoing security incident. Public transport around that region has been halted and you will need to make alternative arrangements for travel in the area. More information can be found –“

Kevan had stopped listening, reaching for his phone immediately and switching it back on to a barrage of missed calls and messages. Tamren was swearing under her breath next to him as she apparently picked up the same messages.

She lent her head in close to his own to avoid them being overheard. “It’s a bomb scare, Jamie has the place on lockdown.” His own messages said something very similar though it seemed Tamren had more details as she continued. “There were specific threats issued to you, your brother and the Premier in the tip-off.”

“Then we need to get to Parliament,” he said. The plane had come to halt now and they had both risen from their seats. Tamren glanced over her shoulder at him with a frown as they made their way to the exit and began descending the steps to the tarmac.

“We need to get you to the rendezvous point. Jamie has already sent me directions, there’s a security team there with the other residents of the Keep already.”

“I need to check the staff are safe,” Kevan argued. Tamren was striding towards the terminal doors and peeling off the sweater he had given her.

“No, I’ll need to do that once I know your location is secure. You need to be as far away from that building as possible.” Her tone had changed completely, Kevan thought. All trace of humour had gone and she’d slipped back into the professional demeanour he had been used to on the trip and that had been mostly absent over their day together. She suddenly felt strangely distant from him and he was uncomfortably reminded once again that whatever they might have shared today, she was after all a member of staff.

He reached for his phone as they stepped off the runway into the cold artificial light of the airport terminal. He tried ringing Jamie first, then Tywin, but both times he got a robotic voice telling him the number was unreachable.

“Are you having any luck?” he asked, looking over to Tamren. She was zooming in on a map on her phone as they moved rapidly through to passport control and didn’t look up at him when she replied.

“There’ll be a signal blackout in place at the bomb site, standard procedure. You won’t get through to anyone at the moment.”

Kevan felt a little foolish for not considering that then seized on the information. “Then clearly Tywin is at Parliament. If he’s there then I should be too.”

Tamren gave him an odd look. “I’m not interested in what he’s doing, that’s not my concern – you are. The security protocol in this instance is to get you away from the building and to a secure location.”

Kevan felt his previous good mood slip away as they skipped the passport queue, both flashing their government ID badges to jump to the front and were waved through by airport security. There wasn’t any information at the moment about who had issued the threat and he could feel the nervous tension rising inside his chest. He needed to do something to help, needed to be there at his brother’s side.

“Are you able to put a hire car on expenses?” Tamren asked, finally looking up at him from her phone as they emerged into the busy arrivals lounge. She slipped back into position at his side, her eyes now on the crowd around them as she steered them in the direction of the hire care station rather than the taxi stand. Kevan raised his eyebrows in question.

“I’m not giving the location of a government safe house to a taxi driver,” she pointed out. She still wasn’t listening, he thought with a flash of annoyance.

“Tamren, are you going to argue with everything I say this evening or are you going to do as I ask and escort me to Parliament?” This was serious and he needed to be there to oversee what was happening and at the very least to support Tywin. He was still recovering from his poisoning, Kevan hated to think how the stress of all this would be affecting his brother.

Tamren looked almost as frustrated as he felt. “No, but I do have your best interests in mind here. My professional recommendation is that you go to the secure location and you can keep an eye on things from there. Please take my advice, Sir.”

The Sir felt like a cheap shot but he supposed he had started it by issuing an order.

He was going to reply when his phone vibrated violently in his hand, Tywin’s name flashing across the screen and Kevan felt a jolt of anxiety as he accepted the call.

 

 

 

 

Tamren did her best to focus on Kevan’s conversation with his brother as she manoeuvred them to the hire desk. It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand his desire to be at the Keep whilst this was all going on – god knows she was ready to get involved and actually do something other than stand in a corridor for the first time in weeks – but it wasn’t safe and it certainly wasn’t part of the plan she had run through with Brienne for just such a scenario. The likelihood of the whole thing being a ruse to lure the intended targets into the open so they were easier to pick off was high and currently, the two of them had the upper hand as Kevan wasn’t where he was initially scheduled to be. She wanted to keep that edge.

She was ready to have that argument with Kevan when he finally hung up the phone and turned to her.

“Apparently Jamie is at Parliament assisting the bomb squad with a sweep of the building.”

A thorough search would take hours, she knew. In fact, they were likely to still be there into the early hours of the morning.

“And your brother?” she asked. Kevan didn’t respond initially, instead tucking his phone away and turning to the young man behind the desk to sort the car hire. Tamren waited impatiently, tapping her boot against the floor.

“Tywin is at the rendezvous point,” he said eventually. Tamren said a silent prayer of thanks to whichever of the seven had convinced him to do that. She didn’t push it too far but she was fairly confident that would be enough to win Kevan over to her side of the argument. And she was right. “I need to meet him there for a debrief on the situation,” he said.

“Of course, Sir,” she replied, supressing a smile and doing her best not to gloat over that particular win. It was actually a little irritating that it was only his deference to his brother that had swayed him rather than respect for her advice.

“Please sign here and there are the keys,” said the man behind the desk. Tamren took the opportunity to swipe the keys off the countertop beside Kevan as he signed the necessary paperwork.

“I’ll drive,” he said firmly, scrawling a signature and pushing the paperwork over. “I’m paying.”

Tamren shook her head. “I have the directions to the safe house,” she countered. “Besides, it’s not tinted and it’s not armoured. I need you to sit low in the back, out of sight please.”

Kevan gave her an exasperated look. “It’ll be fine, I don’t need you to be my chauffeur as well as my guard. I’ll drive.”

“And you’ve been taught evasive driving techniques along with business and politics have you?” she asked more brusquely than intended. Kevan opened his mouth to continue arguing but she gave him a pointed look. Tamren had enjoyed how things had been between them during the day but somewhere along the way he seemed to have forgotten exactly why she was there. “You asked me to stay and I deeply appreciate that. Now please let me do my job and ensure you’re safe.”

Kevan gave a sigh of frustration but it seemed he couldn’t think of anything further to add as he simply turned away, heading for the carpark. Tamren took that as him finally agreeing with her and rather than push it further, fell into step at his side.

 

 

They drove in silence. Tamren could feel nervous energy running through her as she gripped the steering wheel and manoeuvred them through the steady traffic of the main motorway into the city. It gradually built as she pulled off a junction and turned down a side road in the financial district, heading for the rendezvous point. She could see Kevan in the rear-view mirror. Mostly he was focused on his phone but occasionally she would see him glance up and catch her eye. If he was still irritable about their disagreement he didn’t show it.

It didn’t take them long to arrive at the unassuming townhouse that the government security team had requisitioned for their secure location for staff. As she pulled up, Tamren noted a number of unmarked cars outside and the gloomy figure of Meryn Trant stood on watch at the front door.

She stepped out, Kevan climbing out the back before she had a chance to open the door for him. The five-story townhouse was set back from the road, a heavy stone wall and a somewhat overgrown garden blocking the lower windows from view to any passing pedestrians, though the residential street seemed eerily quiet. Tamren could see lights on behind heavy curtains as she escorted Kevan up the path, but no movement was immediately visible inside. If she hadn’t already been aware of the location of the guards on duty and hidden around the premises it would have appeared that Trant was the only one present. He didn’t speak to them as they stepped inside, his usual glower replaced with something of a sombre expression. Tamren felt the weight of the situation descend upon them as they entered a high ceilinged and wood-paneled reception area.

As they moved down the corridor, the next thing she became aware of besides the ill mood, was the noise level. There were security staff moving everywhere and it took some time for the two of them to spot Brienne stood a short way inside what appeared to be a former parlour turned make-shift control room. The powerful figure of the head of security was currently looming over a young guard, barking orders at him before he scurried from the room, apologising awkwardly as he hurried between Tamren and Kevan. Brienne glanced up and Tamren couldn’t help but smile back in response to the look of relief on the other woman’s face when she spotted them.

“Oh thank the Gods you’re here. I thought we were going to have to re-route more guards to the airport to come and get you.” She looked over to Kevan and gave a polite nod of acknowledgment. “Your brother is upstairs with the Premier and his mother. I believe he was waiting for you?”

“Thank you, Miss Tarth. I can see you have control of the situation so I’ll leave you to it,” Kevan said. Tamren felt his hand rest briefly against her elbow before he turned and disappeared upstairs. She didn’t have time to process that before Brienne was turning back to her.

“Did everything go well today?” Brienne asked. Tamren wasn’t quite sure what she meant for a moment, her gaze fixed on the bank of screens behind the security guard relaying footage from cameras all around the building. She could see Kevan in black and white entering a large living room where the figure of Tywin was seated on a sofa, laptop open and a drink in hand. “Did it all run smoothly with security for Mr Lannister’s business today?” Brienne clarified. “It’s not exactly standard procedure to have only one guard present. Any issues?”

Tamren shook her head, feeling uncomfortably guilty about lying to the woman she respected and was beginning to consider a friend. “It was all very straightforward, just some meetings. Plain sailing.”

Brienne was already focused on something else which Tamren was grateful for as she was struggling to ensure she looked completely innocent about their day playing truant given everything that had unfolded in their absence. “So, give me the details.”

Brienne provided her with a quick rundown of the situation as they currently understood it. Which was to say, very little. Apparently an anonymous tip-off had been received by the local police station at around seven-thirty, informing them that there were multiple devices in the Government building targeting Kevan, Tywin and Joffrey, all of which would be detonated at eight. She and Jamie had immediately evacuated the building as per the plans Tamren had been briefed upon on her first day at the Keep. Jamie was currently still at the site assisting the military bomb squad in the search of the grounds.

“And there’s no leads on the tip-off?” Tamren asked. Brienne’s expression clouded at that, her features falling into something of a scowl.

“Supposedly not, but I’m sure there’s something Jamie’s not telling me,” she said. Tamren could hear the anger in her tone though she was doing a good job of hiding it in front of the guards manning the security camera feeds around them. “I’d grill him on it some more but I’m stuck keeping an eye on things here.”

Tamren could understand her frustration. Her initial response had been a desire to get the site to assist in any way she could, but she had Kevan to think of and he was safer here.

“How are things with the first family?” she asked.

Brienne shot her a weary look. “Just fine now I’ve managed to get Tywin to stop stalking around in here and he’s gotten Cersie under control.” Tamren raised her eyebrows and smirked but didn’t ask any further questions. She well remembered the plane ride to Winterfell and could only imagine what Cersie had been like when informed she would have to vacate her comfortable suite in the Keep, albeit temporarily. “I could do with another set of eyes back at Parliament if you’re free?” Brienne added.

Tamren went to agree, then found herself hesitating. “I should be here, with Kevan,” she said.

“I have almost every guard here with us, including all the Lannister company staff they insisted on bringing with them to the Keep,” Brienne countered. “There’s only Jamie and a handful of the Government staff back at the site and he hasn’t checked in for over an hour. I need someone reliable down there.”

It was hard to disagree with her. Kevan was safe and Tamren was proud that Brienne would trust her to take on such a task. If she was going to stay, she wanted to prove her worth to the team. Besides, here it would likely just be more sitting around or standing in corridors whilst Kevan spoke with his brother or slept. Still, something made her reluctant to go. She tucked the feeling away somewhere in the back of her mind to consider later and pulled the car keys from her pocket.

“I’m on it,” she said, turning to leave. “If anything happens here let me know straight away.”

Brienne nodded. “Likewise. I’ll notify Mr Lannister you’ll be away for a while.”

 

 

 

 

Kevan listened intently as his brother explained how they were going to manage the Premier’s campaign and appearances for the next few days in the wake of the threats. Tywin was more animated than Kevan had seen him in a long time, apparently energised by the sudden need to control what was happening around him. However, this quickly turned to anger and frustration when he realised there was very little that could be done this late at night and stuck in a safe house without an internet connection they could use, supposedly for reasons of not revealing their location. 

Kevan was still a little confused that his brother had even come here. Apparently Jamie had managed to convince him to do so – a revelation that surprised Kevan at first, though he had done his best not to show it, and then left him feeling a little uncomfortable as he realised his usually stubborn and contrary brother had taken the advice of the trained security professional designated to him rather quicker than Kevan had himself.

“How did things go at your meeting with the bank?” Kevan asked, attempting to distract his brother. Tywin was pacing, a glass of whiskey in one hand, his mobile in the other whilst he waited for updates from Jamie.

Tywin took a long swallow. “Well. They were very happy with your plans for investment and after I explained what Joffrey’s financial services platform will be they were willing to provide another loan – once we win.”

Kevan was pleased to hear his efforts hadn’t been in vain over the last few weeks. If they could secure the right financial backing then all the sleepless nights would have been worth it.

“Oh and they want your guard re-assigned to me,” Tywin said. Kevan froze, attempting to appear unaffected by the news before he glanced up at his brother. Tywin wasn’t even looking in his direction, his gaze fixed on his phone as he spoke. “I declined the offer but we agreed she would be requisitioned for the security team and assigned to either of us as necessary. So long as you’re happy with that?” Tywin finally looked over at him in a manner that made it clear it wasn’t really a question.

Kevan gave a tight nod. “Of course.” He’d known the moment was coming but was surprised at how disappointed the thought of not seeing her everyday left him.

Tywin seemed satisfied with that and Kevan was glad when he changed the subject back to the campaign. They spent a couple of hours looking over the campaign material the PR company had sent by during the week and went back and forth over reports from the last few days whilst the Premier had been away. Kevan gave Tywin a brief rundown of how things had gone on the trip, avoiding any mention of today. His brother didn’t ask about the extra day he had taken for which Kevan was grateful. He didn’t like lying to him. 

Once Tywin had finally given up on work and stalked off to bed, agitated enough that Kevan was sure he would not sleep, he had descended the stairs and headed to the control room, intending to find Tamren. When he entered the room it was a weary-looking Brienne Tarth who had acknowledged him and explained that his guard had left for Parliament to assist with the search.

“How long has she been gone?” Kevan asked, surprised she hadn’t notified him beforehand. “Has anyone there been in contact at all?” 

“A couple of hours,” Brienne replied and shook her head in frustration. “They haven’t but they may still have the signal blackout in place, Sir. I’ll let you know if she or Jamie get in touch.” 

Realising there was nothing more he could do either at this point, Kevan headed for the tiny room that had been allocated to him. Someone had left clean clothes on the bed, still in their plastic packaging and a few small travel toiletries in the bathroom. He showered off, trying to clear his mind of the concerns over the threat before heading to bed, but it seemed the knot of tension in his chest would not abate and he lay staring at the ceiling for some time before giving up and reaching for his phone. He hadn’t intended to message his guard but somehow he’d ended up with her number in front of him and his fingers were typing away before he had time to process why. 

_-  What’s happening over there? All safe?_

He hit send and waited intently for a response. Ten minutes passed without anything. Then twenty. When it reached thirty he realised his mind was starting to imagine ridiculous scenarios. Perhaps she was still annoyed at him after their disagreement at the airport, he thought. Or the signal blackout was just still in place. It wouldn’t be anything more than that, surely, they would know by now. He dropped the phone beside him on the bed and closed his eyes in an attempt to try and clear his thoughts. A moment later the phone vibrated and he snatched it up.

   -  _All safe. Can’t say more here, heading back into the comms blackout zone in a couple of minutes._

The knot of tension loosened slightly and Kevan was surprised at the sense of relief that washed over him at getting a response. Still, it was an odd reply, dashed off and lacking her usual humour. He was considering how best to respond when another message came through.

   -  _Enjoy the last of your day off . . ._

 When he tapped on the attachment icon below he stifled a laugh of surprise. In all the chaos since they had landed he had forgotten about the images the elderly Sister had taken for them and now Tamren had sent them through. As he scrolled through the photos of the two of them stood dripping wet and smiling at one another in the chapel earlier that day, he felt the now familiar tightness in his chest return.

 

 

 

 

Tamren smiled to herself and switched her phone off before tucking it back in her pocket. She downed the last dregs of her coffee from a styrofoam cup and prepared to head back towards the military cordon feeling a little more refreshed after their brief exchange. It had been a long few hours of fruitless searching and now the adrenaline had worn off she was starting to flag. 

Blue light from emergency services vehicles flashed over her as she strode over to Jamie. He was pouring over the blueprints for the building, a mass of paper spread open on the bonnet of a police car in front of him whilst he barked orders to a security guard who ran off to relay them to the rest of the team still combing through the corridors. He looked up when she halted beside him and pointed to a corner of the document. “This wing next,” he said, circling it. 

Sections of the plans were crossed off as the bomb squad, accompanied by the guards who knew the grounds best, had slowly made their way through each area of the building, meticulously searching every room for possible threats. So far they’d found nothing, but there had been enough false alarms to slow the search up by hours. Each time the call went up that someone thought they had found something, the army had taken over and everyone had been pushed back to stand at a distance, milling around whilst they worked. It was infuriating and everyone’s tempers were beginning to fray.   

“I need you to take two men with you and start going through the debating chamber,” Jamie said. 

Tamren agreed with a curt nod and nothing else. When she had first arrived at the site, Jamie had looked a little surprised to see her and she wondered if he had expected her to be long gone after Kevan had gotten hold of her file. She couldn’t say she held it against him, she’d expected to be fired herself. It was the way he had refused to give her any answers about the tipoff that had set her on edge. Judging by how many times he had disappeared outside of the cordon to make what appeared to be very tense phone calls, Tamren thought Brienne was right - Jamie definitely knew more than he was letting on. 

She tried to ignore her frustration at his lack of communication as she waved over two of the other guards that had been on a break and started the long walk back up the steps of the Keep to continue the search. If Jamie wouldn’t open up to her about what was going on, she’d see if she could get Kevan to find out more from him. 

As she entered the eerily empty foyer and marched towards the chamber, the now familiar shout of a guard exclaiming that they’d found something cut through the air from somewhere up ahead, echoing off the walls. Tamren broke into a jog as the call was continued back out of the building and she heard the bomb squad start to wearily surge into action outside. It was going to be a very long night.

 

 

 

The search was still ongoing when the faint golden light of dawn began to reflect off the sandstone buildings of Kings Landing and Tamren finally left Parliament to drive back to the secure location. She knew she really shouldn’t have been driving on so little sleep but a couple of strong shots of espresso and a desire to get back to check on Kevan’s safety kept her eyes glued to the road. Still, she was intensely grateful for the strangely deserted roads allowing for a short journey.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her almost the moment she turned off the ignition outside the townhouse and she stepped out wearily, pausing to collect up her rucksack and Kevan’s suitcase from the car. She and Jamie had agreed it would be a few hours yet before anyone other than security personal could access the building, so once Kevan’s suite had been cleared she made sure to go back to grab a few items. Luckily the suitcase had been left inside the door by whoever had dropped it back. As much as she knew he would appreciate having his own clothes, she wasn’t sure he’d be too pleased with her rifling through his underwear drawer.

She paused for a moment as she went to lock up the car and spotted the sweatshirts he’d picked up for them at the airport lying discarded on the backseat. It might just have been the sleep deprivation, she thought, but the sight of them gave her a sudden rush of warmth and provoked a smile that even a yawn couldn’t supress. As she dragged herself up the path and passed the guard on duty at the door, Tamren realised with a little spark of surprise that she was looking forward to seeing him again.

 

 

 

  

It had been almost midday when they had received the message that all had been declared clear and Kevan was finally able to drive them back to the Government offices. He’d refused to let Tamren take the keys – she’d looked out on her feet from the moment he’d spotted her re-entering the safe house first thing that morning.

When she’d come up the stairs, feet dragging and his suitcase in her arms, he and Tywin had been already up and in the living room space, mostly arguing back and forth about how best to proceed with the day and trying to stay out of the way of Brienne Tarth who was quite formidable at the best of times and downright scary when as on edge with sleep deprivation as she appeared to be. When Tamren had rounded the corner Kevan had felt his mood lift immediately, an unexpected sense of relief at seeing her finally back washing over him. With his brother present he had done nothing more than thank her for bringing him his things and insist that she use his room to change and shower whilst he was busy, but she had given him her customary grin, albeit cut short by a yawn before she had left the room.

By the time she had freshened up and changed it had been all go in the safe house. Meetings had been rearranged and visits rescheduled and neither of them had been granted a minute to think or even speak before he and Tywin had been escorting Joffrey out the door on the way to another engagement, Tamren following half a step behind. As much as he wanted to check in with her that she was alright, there hadn’t been the opportunity for it and Kevan had resigned himself to the odd glance and wry smile of support as they both dragged themselves through the requirements of the day. He tried to make the most of it, at some point today he would have to let her know she was being reassigned and he wasn’t sure when she would next be back at his side.

It was now almost five in the afternoon and Kevan was aware Tamren was practically swaying as she took up her usual sentry position against the wall next to the meeting room he was preparing to head into with his brother and the rest of the campaign team. He filed past her and managed a quick questioning frown to which she gave a subtle shrug before biting back a yawn.

“Gentlemen, apologies for the disruption,” Tywin said as they filtered in and took their seats. There were a few nervous laughs at that but no one said anything. The mood in the building had been tense and unhappy ever since they had returned. Kevan envied them all being able to leave at the end of the day to go home to their families far away from all the stress and tension of the Keep.

“There are a number of matters we need to discuss,” his brother continued as a young intern poured out filter coffee and deposited cups in front of the assembled group at the table. When she reached Kevan, he lent in briefly, pausing her mid pour.

“Please take one out to the guard outside,” he murmured as quietly as possible. The woman gave him a polite nod and a few moments later as they were beginning to analyse a spreadsheet, he saw her duck out of the room with a mug.

 

 

 

 

Tamren heard the door click open beside her and stood bolt upright, staring dead ahead. She had been sagging against the wall, using the brickwork for some support whilst she blinked repeatedly in an attempt to keep her heavy lids from falling shut. She’d found the tiredness easier to bear when they were moving around, but now she was stuck on sentry duty once more it had gotten the better of her.

“Mr Lannister asked me to give this to you,” a voice said from beside her and Tamren glanced down with some confusion at the cup of coffee extended towards her. She accepted it with thanks and the intern disappeared back into the meeting room before she could say anything further. Not that she needed any clarification as to exactly which Mr Lannister the young woman had been speaking of, she thought as she took a mouthful. Somehow she couldn’t imagine it was Tywin that had made the request.

The meeting dragged on for what felt like hours. Tamren tried to concentrate on the people passing her in the corridor, alert to the risk that any one of them could pose. The bomb scare had been nothing more than a hoax, apparently designed to cause fear and disruption to the campaign and it had certainly worked. Ministers and staff alike were walking around with their heads down and eyes darting to every corner and crevice as if concerned that something might still be lying around the corner and half the security team looked like the walking dead having been on their feet all night. Tamren’s head was starting to swim with exhaustion but she could hardly complain, she knew she wasn’t the only one.

It was a relief when the door opened and the campaign team finally began to leave. She gathered up the mug from the floor as Kevan emerged beside his brother and a weasely looking man she recognised as Mr Baelish from the PR firm.

“Thank you for your time, Mr Baelish,” Kevan was saying as he shook the man’s hand. “We look forward to seeing how this next run of adverts performs.”

Something about the guy set her on edge, Tamren thought. Maybe it was the way the intern who had brought her the coffee instinctively made herself smaller to avoid getting too close to him as she squeezed out of the door to gather up the discarded coffee cup. Maybe it was the way the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he returned Kevan’s handshake. Whatever it was, it was grating on her and once Tywin and Baelish had left she turned to Kevan.

“I don’t trust him,” she muttered. Kevan’s face fell into a frown as he looked over at her. Tamren fought off another yawn, her head swimming from the desperate need to sleep.

“Neither do I,” Kevan replied as they marched towards the lift, his laptop tucked under his arm. Tamren nearly fumbled the security pass as she swiped the lift sensor and thumbed the button for Kevan’s floor repeatedly.

“So why do you keep him around,” she asked irritably. Her eyes were itching and she bounced on her toes a little, trying to keep moving to stave off the post caffeine crash. The lift began to rise slowly.

“Because he’s very good at his job and we have an election to win,” Kevan replied, his tone firm and clearly leaving no room for discussion. Tamren didn’t reply, aware she wasn’t functioning well enough to choose the right words to politely push that any further. It seemed, like everyone else in the building, Kevan was also reaching the end of his patience and she didn’t want another argument with him.

“When was the last time you slept?” she heard him ask. It almost sounded as if his voice was coming from a distance though he was stood close beside her in the cramped lift. She shook her head to clear the sensation and looked over to him. He was watching her carefully.

“The plane,” she said as the lift halted. For a second she thought she saw a slight flush to Kevan’s features at that. It was probably just the sleep deprivation she thought as they stepped out into the corridor.

 

 

 

 

In the whirlwind of work that had ensued throughout the day Kevan hadn’t had much time to dwell on the journey back. With her words it suddenly all came tumbling back into the forefront of his mind. He wondered if she would say anything further about how they had awoken but when he glanced over at her Tamren just yawned and fell into step beside him. It wasn’t lost on Kevan that it took her a second longer than usual to do so. He noted the dark circles under her eyes and the way her shoulders sagged as they headed towards his office and instead of halting there he continued on down the corridor, only stopping when he reached his suite.

Kevan swiped his own key card on the security pad and held the door open. Tamren, already in sentry position against the wall, looked confused.

“After you,” he said, motioning for her to enter.

She didn’t say anything but stepped inside the room, Kevan following.

“I’ll finish the rest of the reports here,” he said, placing his laptop on the coffee table in the centre of the room and taking a seat on one of the sofas. “Now get some rest.”

Tamren blinked and glanced around her. Kevan gave a sigh and motioned to the free sofa opposite him. “Sofa, or the bed’s free, it’s your choice.”

She frowned and dug her hands in her pockets. “I’m meant to be on guard outside your door for another four – “

He cut her off. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re out on your feet and if you drink any more coffee you’re going to give yourself a heart attack.” He continued more gently when she shook her head. “Tam, you’re not going to be able to do much for me if you’re exhausted. There’s a guard on the lift and the door is locked. You’ll still be with me if anything happens. Just please, get some sleep.”

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and Kevan was sure she was going to refuse. But then she crossed to the other sofa, dropping onto it heavily and running her hands over the cushions.

“It’s not a good idea for me to take my boots off whilst I’m still on shift and these are very white,” she said, not looking over at him. Kevan waved away her concern.

“It’s fine,” he said, but she still looked uncertain. “I can work in the bedroom if you’d be more comfortable with that?” he offered. She shook her head and then shrugged out of her suit jacket. Kevan watched as she folded it carefully and placed it on the arm of the sofa.

She glanced over at him, a yawn creasing her features. “Just throw something at me if I start snoring.”

Kevan laughed quietly and then did his best to focus on his laptop as she stretched out on her back, tucking a small cushion below her head as a pillow.

She was asleep within a couple of minutes, or so he thought, judging by the way her breathing slowed. He set his phone to silent, placing it where he could see it light up if necessary and proceeded to attempt to work.

He did his best to concentrate for the next hour but every time Tamren shifted in her sleep or made the slightest sound he found his attention drifting. At one point she rolled onto her side to face him and he realised with an awkward jolt that several minutes had passed before he was able to look away from her.

As he tried to focus on his report, Kevan was uncomfortably aware he had begun to develop something of a schoolboy crush on his guard. He wasn’t sure exactly when it had started - perhaps when they had been on their morning runs together initially if he was honest with himself - but somehow it had grown over the last few days until he was aware of it whenever she was present. It was a little embarrassing he thought, a man of his age and experience so easily swayed by easy smiles and a few shared moments of connection. That and the odd flirtatious comment, her hand so comfortably entwined with his own on the plane . . . He shook his head to clear the memory. It was a ridiculous notion. She was his employee, bound to him by a debt and forces she couldn’t control. Not to mention twenty years his junior.

She shifted again on the sofa, sighing gently in her sleep and he felt guilty for even looking at her. No, it was a terrible idea, one which he shouldn’t be remotely entertaining, certainly not daydreaming about when he should have been focused on work. And yet there he was, considering what it would be like to fall asleep next to her by choice rather than by accident. Maybe with her wrapped in his arms and in the comfort of his bed rather than the seat of a plane, with her face close to his own and her body warm and –

Kevan almost jumped when his phone lit up on the desk, Jamie’s name appearing across the screen. He snatched it up as he shook off the ridiculous thoughts that had appeared in his mind, rising quickly to cross the room and take the call in his bedroom. With a brief backwards glance he pulled the door closed as softly as possible so he wouldn’t wake his guard.

“Apologise for the late call, Uncle,” Jamie’s voice cut through the silence after Kevan had greeted him. “I have an update for you regarding our little investigation. Happy for me to drop by now if you’re not busy?”

Kevan stalled, thinking of Tamren currently stretched out on his sofa.

“Give me ten minutes,” he said and Jamie agreed.

Kevan hung up and eased the door open, stepping back into the living room. Tamren was still curled up on her side, sleeping peacefully with one arm tucked under the cushion beneath her head and the other resting on the sofa. He stood for a moment, hesitant to wake her but very aware she couldn’t be in this position when Jamie arrived.

“Tam?” he murmured. She didn’t stir and Kevan marvelled at her ability to sleep so deeply. His own sleep had been fitful and restless for the last few nights.

He crouched beside her and cautiously lay a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t immediately stir but when he said her name again she gradually began to come round.


	10. Chapter 10

For the second time in a little over 24 hours, Tamren blinked awake to find Kevan beside her.

“How long was I asleep?” she murmured, feeling slightly dazed as she came round. She was conscious of the warm weight of Kevan’s hand resting on her shoulder. There was something reassuring about his presence despite the confusion of waking so suddenly.

“A little over an hour,” Kevan said, finally removing his hand and straightening up. She missed the contact immediately. “Sorry to wake you but Jamie is dropping by and, well . . .” He shrugged and Tamren didn’t need him to finish the explanation. She couldn’t be here. Certainly not like this.

She rose from the sofa and pulled on her jacket before attempting to straighten out her hair and smooth the creases from her shirt. It took a moment for her sleep-addled brain to catch up with the implication of Kevan’s words before she finally registered why Jamie would likely be visiting Kevan’s room this late in the day.

“He’s here for a security update?” she asked. Kevan only nodded in confirmation. “I should be here for this,” she argued, expecting him to disagree and prepared for yet another row as she remembered the way he had dismissed her a few weeks ago when she had suggested he might know more than he was letting on about the threats that had been issued. Instead, Kevan gave her a thoughtful look and Tamren could see he was clearly weighing something up.

He didn’t have long to consider it before there was a knock at the door. Tamren didn’t drop his gaze, determined she wouldn’t leave until he issued the expected order to do so. But it didn’t come. Instead, Kevan crossed the room in a couple of steps, opening the door and standing aside to allow Jamie and then Tywin to enter. Tamren noted the slight raise of the eyebrows that Kevan gave his brother as he stepped into the suite and it was obvious he hadn’t expected him to be there.

Clearly, neither had Tywin expected to see her. A flash of a frown crossed his features as he took her in and Tamren was almost certain she caught a slight hint of suspicion in his gaze. “You may leave, Ms Rivers,” he growled.

Before she could react, Kevan was closing the door and waving the two men over to the sofa he had been working at whilst she slept.

“I think it best Tamren stays,” he said, looking to his brother. Tywin’s frown only deepened.

“This is sensitive security information,” Jamie cut in before the older Lannister brother could respond. Tamren actually felt a little pleased with herself for managing not to roll her eyes in irritation at that until he spoke again, his focus now on Kevan. “You’re sure you want her here?”

Tamren understood the implication immediately and felt a flash of anger. If Kevan caught his nephew’s meaning, he didn’t give any indication of it and instead took a seat, gesturing to her to do the same. She didn’t need telling twice and sat beside him.

“Ms Rivers is an important member of the security team. If she is to continue to perform her duties effectively I think it best she fully understands the situation we are dealing with,” Kevan said and Tamren felt any remaining annoyance at their disagreement the previous day fall away.

She watched as Tywin gave his brother a long look but he didn’t say anything further. Had Jamie shown Tywin her file? Had Kevan discussed it with him? It seemed unlikely given she was still in her job but surely he knew, she thought. Kevan had already surprised her by asking her to remain in the room - she couldn’t imagine he would push it any further with his brother should Tywin ask her to leave again. Luckily this wasn’t put to the test as Tywin finally looked away from his brother and nodded to Jamie. When the younger man somewhat reluctantly took that as his cue to begin speaking Tamren felt herself relax from a tension she had been unaware was taking hold of her.

“I was already doing some digging in this area, but the voice recording on the tip-off matched up with a threat issued earlier in the year - it’s someone backing the Iron Islands separatist movement,” Jamie said.

Tamren felt Kevan shift on the sofa and she looked over to him. His expression was grim but he didn’t appear to be surprised by the news and she got the impression he and Jamie had already discussed this possibility.

“And you believe they are responsible for the rest of the issues we’ve had?” he asked.

“Yes,” Jamie replied. “My sources suggest they may have been behind both the poisoning and the threats issued to yourself.”

The room was very quiet. Tamren wasn’t sure whether she would be permitted to speak but ploughed ahead regardless. “The emails to Mr Lannister came from an internal server. How many of the staff have links to the Iron Islands?” she asked. She was already making a mental list of the security staff, wondering which if any of them might have a connection to the Iron Islanders liberation movement. There’d been nationalist groups agitating for full separation from the rest of the country for years but nothing much had occurred for some time. She knew that under the new leadership of Councillor Asha Greyjoy most of the more radical elements of the nationalist movement had been pushed to the fringes but it seemed that had only made them more dangerous.

“Right now I have a potential list of twenty staff who may be a concern,” Jamie replied. He looked to his father who was sat silent and surveying the three of them. “I’m having their duties re-arranged but we need to be very careful not to tip anyone off that we’re looking into them until we can be sure.”

“We were due to have Joffrey make a visit to the Islands within the next couple of weeks,” Kevan added when his brother didn’t respond.

“And that will still be going ahead,” Tywin cut in. “Whoever this group is, they must not be allowed to disrupt this election. The Premier will still attend.”

Kevan nodded. “Indeed. A show of unity in the face of division would go well for Joff.” Tamren chanced a glance over at him. His expression was determined, apparently unfazed by what they had learnt and she couldn’t help but feel concerned he wasn’t taking the risk seriously enough.

“Neither of you can go anywhere unaccompanied. Inside the building or out,” she said quickly looking between Kevan and Tywin. Tywin’s imperious glare did not abate but Kevan gave her a slight nod.

“Agreed,” Jamie said. “We need a clearer picture of who might be a threat within the staff before we can start making any further arrangements for the trip. This stays between us for now. I don’t want anyone getting a tip-off and making their own plans.”

Tamren agreed with him but something was still bothering her. “Have you spoken to Brienne about this?” she asked.

Jamie gave her something approaching a scowl and judging by the way both of the older Lannister brothers looked over at him she suspected this might have been a point of contention between them for a while.

“No. Not yet,” he said eventually.

“She needs to know,” Tamren said firmly. “She has better knowledge of the staff here than anyone. We need her support.”

The room went quiet. Tamren knew she’d pushed her luck by even sticking around, but Brienne deserved to know what they were up against and Tamren wanted someone else on her side if the three men present decided to make any risky decisions in support of the campaign. Jamie might well be head of the security team but he was a Lannister first and foremost and she knew keeping Joffrey in power was the highest priority for all of them.

To Tamren’s surprise, it was Kevan who spoke first, breaking the silence. “I agree,” he said, looking over to his brother. “Ms Tarth has been an invaluable asset over the last few weeks. It would be best if she was also informed.”

Jamie looked to his father and when Tywin didn’t indicate he had any concerns he finally agreed. “I’ll speak to her tomorrow. But no one else can be brought in on this. Not until we are absolutely confident we know who we can trust.”

Tywin nodded finally, rising from his seat. “That includes your sister and Joffrey. They don’t need the distraction.”

Tamren thought it was probably more likely the four of them didn’t need the distraction of Cerise weighing in on the situation more than for her benefit but she kept the thought to herself. The men rose, following Tywin’s lead and Tamren stood as well feeling the blanket of tiredness descend on her again. The hour or so of sleep she had managed hadn’t been quite long enough to feel refreshed leaving her somewhat groggy instead.

“Jamie, we’ll meet tomorrow to go over everything you’ve got so far on the Iron Island movement,” she said. The younger Lannister looked like he was going to disagree for a moment but then gave a tight nod.

Tywin looked to her as he and Jamie turned to leave. “Travel arrangements are set for six-thirty tomorrow, please meet me in the lobby by no later than six-fifteen.”

Tamren did her best to keep her expression neutral but she didn’t understand what he meant. Kevan hadn’t said anything about being on a business trip tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Kevan could see the subtle shift in Tamren’s expression at his brother’s words. She gave a politely deferential response as if nothing was amiss, confirming to his brother that she would be ready when required to which Tywin nodded in satisfaction. But the moment he and Jamie had left she turned to him, the question clear in her eyes and Kevan felt the need to apologise at letting her be caught off guard like that.

“I meant to speak to you earlier but everything has been manic today.” He paused, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, she was frowning at him, confusion written across her face and he felt guilty for not having spoken to her sooner. He felt guilty for a few things. “You’ve been reassigned,” he managed eventually.

Her frown deepened. “To your brother?”

She sounded disappointed and Kevan realised there was a tiny, terrible part of him that might have been a little gratified by that but he tamped it down somewhere with all the other thoughts he’d had this evening.

“To wherever you’re needed most by the security team,” he clarified. “Ty takes priority, obviously.”

She shook her head at that, expression souring. “He has half the team assigned to him - including Jamie. Why does he need me any more than you do?”

Kevan didn’t know what to say. Wasn’t that obvious? Tywin was in charge. He was the one everyone looked to, the one everyone admired and trusted, the one the whole campaign was hinged around. Of course he took priority.

“You’ve been front and centre of this campaign ever since I got here and that doesn’t seem to have changed since he got back,” Tamren continued. “Why would you think you were any less at risk?”

“This isn’t about risk, it’s about who we need more,” Kevan replied. Tamren gave a bitter laugh which was about the last thing he had expected but she didn’t say anything further. “You’ll still be assigned to me on occasion,” he added, though he wasn’t sure why that would help. Tamren just gave a weary shrug as she looked over at him.

“And you agreed to this?” she asked.

“It wasn’t my choice,” he assured her. If he’d had one, she wouldn’t be leaving his side, he thought before he could stop himself.

For a second Tamren looked unimpressed and he thought – almost hoped - she would disagree further, but instead, he saw her school her features back into her usual professional blank stare and straighten up in a way that told him the conversation was done without him needing to dismiss her.

“Well then, I’ll see you when I see you,” she said with resignation. “Goodnight, Sir.”

It was probably for the best, Kevan thought as he watched her leave. The stress of work was clearly getting to him, the way his thoughts were running away with him in regards to her. Perhaps he needed some space from her to shrug off the ridiculous notion that she could ever be anything more than a trusted colleague.

 

 

 

 

Just as Tamren had suspected, Tywin was a distinctly difficult client to work as a guard for. He was a man who expected staff to immediately know precisely what he wanted without communicating it and though she had picked up on a few of his preferences on where she should position herself and exactly how far away she should stand from him whilst escorting Kevan to and from meetings with him, apparently she hadn’t learnt quite enough as he scowled in frustration every time she didn’t manage to anticipate his every move. It had made for an exhausting day, one which left her with a renewed sense of appreciation for how easy his younger brother was to work with.

As she strode towards the Keep’s security office to meet with Jamie, she couldn’t help but hope she would be allocated back on with Kevan the next day. She knew he was due to escort Joffrey on a round of canvassing in a marginal seat just north of the city which would mean a tougher day’s duties, but at least she’d have someone around whose company she could actually enjoy rather than just have orders barked at her.

When she made her way into the office Jamie wasn’t present and she was surprised to see Bronn Blackwater lounging in a chair, his feet up on a desk.

“Where’s Jamie?” she asked warily. It had been days since she’d last had to deal with Bronn’s infuriating presence and she really wasn’t in the mood for it now.

Bronn shrugged. “Stepped out to get his laptop I believe.” He grinned up at her, rising from his chair and rounding the desk. “Busy day love? You look exhausted. I could do something about that for you if you wanted?”

Tamren did her best not to bite but Gods he was infuriating. She knew she wasn’t the only one who did her best to avoid him, Brienne had also made it clear how much she disliked the man and his constant lewd comments. She suspected if Brienne had been granted the capacity to fire him he would have been out of the door a long time ago.

“Shouldn’t you be out following the finance minister to his interview with the six o’clock news?” she asked, choosing to ignore his words.

Bronn shrugged. “It was cancelled, apparently some other story came up that they’re running with. Thought I’d make myself busy round here. Anyway, shouldn’t you be trailing after Kevan Lannister somewhere?”

“I’ve been with Tywin,” she replied, careful not to say any more than strictly necessary.

Bronn’s smirk widened. “Really? Been reassigned? Or does Kevan really share everything with his big brother?” he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Tamren’s lip curled at his comment but before she could reply Jamie stepped in behind her throwing a brief greeting to the two of them. She took the recently vacated seat from Bronn, staring him down whilst she waited for Jamie to dismiss him. Given the Lannister head of security had called her in for an update on the situation with the separatist group, he would have to get Bronn out of the room before they could speak unless he was up for specifically breaching his father’s orders which she highly doubted.

If Jamie was aware of the tension in the room he didn’t comment on it, instead giving Bronn a pointed look that the other man was at least professional enough to take as a clear sign to leave. Once he was gone, Tamren didn’t wait for Jamie to speak for jumping in.

“Have you spoken to Brienne?” she asked. Jamie’s eyebrows rose, his imperious look reminding her distinctly of his father as he sat back in his chair.

“I have. She’ll be joining us in a moment,” he replied. Tamren was relieved. Brienne was a staunch voice of reason that even he and Tywin seemed to listen to when necessary. If there was anyone who could be relied on to assist with figuring out how best to handle the potential internal risks to the Premier and his two campaign managers then it would be her.

“I have to admit, I’m a little surprised you’re still here,” Jamie continued. Tamren tensed but held his gaze as he watched her across the desk. She hadn’t expected him to be quite that blunt about it but then why would a man who’d had everything handed to him since birth worry about what she thought?

“Your Uncle is a pragmatic man. He didn’t think it worth thinning security numbers out given the circumstances,” she responded cautiously. It was after all one answer Kevan had given – Jamie didn’t need to know anything else that had been said between them.

“There was a lot of very interesting material in that file,” Jamie continued and Tamren wondered where he was going with this. “Bronn’s was a little more predictable.”

“Yeah well let’s just hope your ability to dig up shit on whoever is threatening this campaign is as good as your digging on the two of us,” she shot back.

Jamie’s eyebrows raised at that but there was a hint of humour in the look he gave her. He didn’t reply as there was a brief knock at the door and Brienne stepped in before either of them could react. The tall figure of the head of Government security paused in the doorway as she surveyed the two of them, her face falling into a frown.

“Am I interrupting?”

“No,” they both replied quickly, Tamren with a final look in Jamie’s direction. Brienne looked like she didn’t believe that for a moment but strode across the room regardless.

“Good, because you need to see this.”

She placed her phone on the desk, thumbing the volume button to turn it up so they could both follow the breaking news report that was being delivered.

“ – and in a statement delivered today, the Iron Island Liberation movement claimed responsibility for a bomb threat at Parliament that brought the capital to a standstill. In their video posted online only a few minutes ago, an anonymous figure made it clear further threats to the election campaign can be expected.”

The image of the newsreader on the screen was replaced by a shadowy hooded figure stood in a dark room. The voice that could be heard reading a statement directly to the camera was distorted to hide whoever it was speaking but the words came through clearly enough.

“The IIL will continue to ensure that full freedom for the people of our Islands will be an issue that must be addressed by both parties. Until we are granted our rights to self-governance we pledge to fight back against the oppressive regimes of the Baratheon premiership and the ignorance of the Targaryen campaign that refuses to acknowledge our demands. Until the Iron Islands are free, no member of either party may sleep safely. Until we have a promise that we will no longer be held down -”

The figure continued on with his demands but Tamren had already heard enough. If the concern over trying to defend Kevan from an invisible force operating quietly in the shadows had been bad enough, trying to contain a movement willing to brazenly issue threats like this was much worse. Whatever strategy Jamie had been planning for containing this risk, it would very rapidly have to change.

The three of them watched quietly until the end of the report when the journalist suddenly cut back to the studio for a defence correspondent’s analysis of the situation.

“Joffrey needs to issue a statement immediately,” Jamie said, breaking the silence. Tamren frowned. He was still far too focused on winning the campaign and not nearly enough on the safety of everyone involved. “We need Tywin and Kevan with him, a solid presence to reassure the people.”

“We need to keep the three of them away from each other as much as possible,” Brienne countered and Tamren was immediately grateful for her presence. “There’s far too much risk to them being in the same room together. We risk losing the three of them,” she added pragmatically and Tamren smiled at that. It seemed Brienne knew exactly the right thing to say to bring the golden-haired Lannister man round and indeed Jamie paused, looking thoughtful for a moment.

“Fine,” he said. “No more than two of them together at any one time until we know more about what we’re up against.”

At that Tamren was reminded of why exactly she’d come here in the first place.

“We have the staffing lists?” she asked. Jamie nodded, reaching for his laptop now and pulling up a spreadsheet full of details. It was considerably longer than Tamren had anticipated

“I’m sharing this with the two of you along with the background checks that were performed on every member of staff prior to starting work here.” Tamren didn’t react when he looked up at her with a slight smirk. If Brienne noticed it she didn’t react and Jamie continued. “I’ve already identified concerns with a few of the staff on shift the night of my father’s poisoning as they have family in the Islands. Now we just have the rest of them to go through.”

As she stared at the computer screen in front her Tamren was very much reminded of why she had never taken an office job. But if it would keep Kevan safe then she was prepared to resign herself to a long night of research and planning.

 

 

 

 

Kevan watched from the side of the stage as the sports hall full of supporters finished applauding Joffrey’s appearance at the podium and took their seats as the young Premier launched into his speech on unity and security for the country.

He was barely listening, instead watching how the words were received by the crowd and the assembled media in the room. He was quite proud of the speech – in fact he thought it was probably the best he had ever written, especially considering he’d had to draft it in the early hours of the morning following the round of emergency cabinet meetings that had followed the Iron Island’s statement. Whilst Tywin had taken charge of meeting with defence chiefs and police commissioners, he had been left to deal with the fall out for the campaign. The first thing that had happened this morning had been a drop in their polling but he was hoping a quick and decisive response to the threats would see them regain their lead.

He watched the flash of cameras and followed Joffrey’s words along, watching him pause to punctuate sentences in the right places and give the audience time to applaud. Kevan gave a grim smile – _appearing_ brave and decisive was the one thing his nephew was rather good at, he thought. The young man’s reaction when informed of the threat on awakening this morning had been rather different as he had initially demanded all press conferences be cancelled until he could be assured of his safety. For the hundredth time since the campaign had begun Kevan wished his brother had just decided to run himself rather than keep this absurd front going.

His thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of his phone in his pocket. He drew it out expecting it to be Tywin or Baelish with an update for him. Instead it was his Son’s name that flashed across the screen provoking a jolt of concern - Lancel barely ever rang him. Kevan answered the call immediately.

“Dad?”

The line was faint and crackly but Kevan could still make out his son’s voice.

“Lancel, how are you?”

“Fine. I just saw the news - are you alright? They said there was a bomb scare or -”

“I’m fine.” Kevan rushed to reassure him as he caught the concern in his Son’s voice cutting through the static. “Nothing to be worried about,” he said, turning away from the Premier and making his way further backstage so he could speak with relative privacy. For a brief moment he looked up expecting to see the familiar figure of Tamren accompanying him and felt a little thrown when it was Meryn Trant that moved stiffly into position some distance from him.

“They said there was some terrorist group or something?” Lancel continued and for the first time in a long while, Kevan was grateful his son wasn’t in the country.

“There have been some threats issued but there’s nothing to concern yourself with. Your Uncle Jamie is keeping a close eye on things.”

“You’re safe then?”

Kevan looked up. There were no less than four guards within his sight at the moment and more dotted around the room. Still, he’d become so used to having Tamren with him over the past few weeks that he felt bizarrely exposed without her at his side.

“Perfectly,” he assured his son and Lancel seemed to finally accept that.

He knew he should get back to the speech but Kevan was grateful for the distraction and was happy to keep his son on the line for a while, catching up with everything he had been up to recently.

“I’ll be back to visit soon,” Lancel promised finally before he had gone. Kevan had said he was looking forward to seeing him but truly he hoped he wouldn’t travel back at least until the election was done. He didn’t want to have his son’s safety to worry about along with everything else.

As he hung up another round of applause rang out and Kevan stepped back to the curtain to see Joffrey striding off stage with a broad smile. With the speech concluded the guard’s formed a tight shield around them, guiding them both separately to the waiting cars. It felt stifling having so many bodies around him but Kevan, whilst not happy about it, understood the necessity for the sudden jump in security whenever he would now have to leave the government offices. He just hoped that it wouldn’t be too long until one of the suited figures around him was someone who would help break the tension that had settled over him rather than further increase it.

 

 

 

 

Over the following few days Tamren barely saw Kevan except for the odd glimpse of him in corridors or through windows to meeting rooms. At one point she spotted him across the busy throng of people in the government lobby when he had come striding back into the building with Joffrey at the same time she had been escorting Tywin out. She watched him move across the floor but he hadn’t seemed to notice her and she felt an odd twinge of disappointment at that. She chided herself for the feeling, frustrated at the way her mood lifted at spotting him.

This was getting ridiculous she thought. He was just another client. One that happened to have a gentle smile and a quiet laugh that made her feel excited and settled all at once. One whose presence made her feel safe and welcome and whose company she might have come to enjoy a lot more than was entirely professional.

As she tried not to look out for him whilst escorting his brother to and from meetings, Tamren did her best to ignore the suspicion she might be falling for Kevan, burying it under her workload and trying not to dwell on it. She was building him up in her memory, she thought. Should she actually get a chance to spend any time with him again she’d remember he was just another bland, over-privileged, businessman – and one twenty years her senior at that.

As it was though she saw so little of him she was starting to think she was being deliberately moved onto shifts that would mean they didn’t run into each other. There was no reason for that at all though, she reminded herself. Kevan had approved her staying and Jamie seemed to have finally accepted that. It was just that Kevan was often with the Premier which meant there was already a huge team of security personnel around him, including Jamie, and instead of adding her to the group, she was predominantly assigned to Kevan’s brother and niece when not holed up in the security office researching through the background information on staff and planning rota’s with Brienne.

She kept to her duties diligently, doing her best not to catch Cersie’s attention when with her and not speak in Tywin’s presence. He seemed to resent her being around, though she suspected it really wasn’t anything personal. When she voiced this concern to Brienne the other woman had laughed and confirmed most of the guards felt similarly and promised to ensure she wasn’t always assigned to him. The man ignored her except to bark the odd command or ask for occasional security updates and she was quite happy to do everything to avoid his attention. But gods his cold demeanour and dismissal of her presence made her want to be back at Kevan’s side all the more. Besides Brienne, it was hard not to feel alone in the capital. Kevan had been the one reliable, comforting presence in her life and she wanted to return to their easy familiarity.

But as the days passed, Tamren became increasingly resigned to the idea that she wouldn’t see much of him anymore and she tried to convince herself she was at peace with this. So it was something of a shock when almost a week after they had parted, she rounded the corner with Tywin on the way to his office to see Kevan stood outside, waiting for his brother. As her chest tightened at the unexpected sight of him she was immediately, uncomfortably conscious of just how badly she missed him.

He didn’t notice her at first and as her gaze swept over him and to the guard stood behind she was pleased to note Podrick was the man accompanying him. Despite her initial uncertainty about him she’d come to recognise the young man as one of the better security personnel within the Government team. He was attentive and a quick learner and she was glad he was at Kevan’s side when she couldn’t be.

Kevan himself was stood with his head bowed, apparently focused on something on his phone and as Tamren had a moment to take him in she was suddenly struck by the realisation that he really was just as handsome as she had remembered. She’d been trying to tell herself that all her thoughts on him were being blown out of proportion by having to be around his brother, but faced with him now she couldn’t deny she found him very attractive.

He glanced up, his eyes meeting her own and Tamren felt herself grin before she could compose herself.

“Good afternoon, Ms Rivers,” he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Tamren tamped down the sense of excitement at his presence when from the corner of her eye she saw Tywin’s cool gaze slide over her.

“Afternoon, Sir,” she replied, doing her best to keep her tone as neutral as possible. “I hope your week is going well?”

Kevan gave her a nod and stood aside for her as she took up her sentry position against the wall.

 

 

 

 

If Kevan had hoped the time apart would help rid him of his ridiculous affection for her, the way his heart lifted at her sudden presence left him in no doubt it hadn’t worked. As he smiled back at her he felt overwhelmed by how much wanted to tell her he’d missed her - that all the fun and relief of their time together was the only thing he’d looked forward to for days. He wanted to ask how she was and laugh along with her at whatever nonsense they’d both had to put up with. But his brother was stood impatiently at the door and he knew he couldn’t delay any longer.

“Well enough, thank you,” Kevan replied. “Though I could do with getting some exercise soon,” he added, faintly hoping she might understand the implication of his words. Judging by the way her grin turned to her familiar cheeky smirk he was sure she had. For a second he thought she might say something in reply but then his brother cleared his throat and with a quick look in his direction, she straightened up against the wall.

Tywin stepped into his office and Kevan managed a last brief smile to her before somewhat reluctantly following him in and closing the door behind them.

“She appears to be rather fond of you,” his brother said, rounding the desk to take a seat.

“I’m sorry?” Kevan replied with some confusion.

“Ms Rivers,” Tywin clarified and Kevan felt his stomach flip uncomfortably. “She is less than subtle about it.”

Though Kevan hadn’t failed to notice with some pleasure the way her eyes had lit up when they met his own, he should have realised he wasn’t the only one who had seen it. “Nonsense,” he argued, “Tamren smiles like that at everyone,” he added, trying to convince himself as much as his brother.

Tywin arched an eyebrow, apparently unconvinced. “And yet I haven’t seen her do that once in my presence before now.”

Kevan gave his brother an incredulous look. “Of course not, she’s professional enough to have realised you wouldn’t have appreciated it.”

“And you do,” Tywin shot back.

Kevan took a seat and shook his head with a laugh. “I’d rather the staff weren’t miserable around me, that’s all.” Tywin was being ridiculous, he thought. It didn’t mean anything at all that she might look pleased to see him. They’d worked closely together for weeks after all. Tamren, like any decent guard, was simply good at reading her client and adapting to them.

Tywin gave him a long look. “I trust this won’t become an issue?”

Kevan frowned. Was his brother implying what he thought he was?

“Of course not, Ty, don’t be ridiculous.”

“Good.” His brother was still staring over at him but his gaze softened a little. “I know the divorce wasn’t easy but there are much better ways of satisfying certain, needs, than  –“

Kevan felt the back of his neck grow distinctly warm and raised a hand, hurriedly cutting his brother off before the conversation could get any more uncomfortable.

“Really Ty, you needn’t worry. I’m old enough to be her father - I’m sure she’s not remotely interested in me.” It was something he’d been trying hard to remind himself of when he’d found himself missing her company and wondering whether there was any chance she might feel the same. “Regardless,” he continued, “there’s nothing happening and I can assure you nothing will.”

His brother seemed satisfied with that and Kevan was relieved when he changed the subject to plans for the upcoming debate between the two party leaders.

As they spoke, Kevan couldn’t help the way his thoughts occasionally drifted back to the woman outside, and a gnawing sense of guilt nagged away at the back of his mind. His brother was right, he couldn’t allow this to become a problem, there was far too much else to focus on.

But all the convincing in the world couldn’t stop the sense of disappointment when he stepped out of the meeting room a couple of hours later to find she had been replaced by another guard.


	11. Chapter 11

It was late afternoon in the security office and Tamren could feel her head beginning to pound as she tried to take in the information in front of her. Over the last couple of days, they’d managed to whittle down the list of possible staff with Iron Islands links to a more definitive list of five – three men and two women. All of them were outside of the security team and had limited access to many areas of the building which was something of a relief, but they still couldn’t pinpoint whether any of them had connections to the Liberation movement itself.

“Gods this is endless,” Brienne said as they stared at yet another file. Tamren glanced over to see the other woman rubbing her eyes and then glaring in frustration at the screen in front of her.

“I mean, we could just fire everyone with a link to the Islands,” Jamie suggested looking exhausted. “That would be the easiest option at this point.”

Tamren felt her temper fraying. “Yes, what we definitely need right now is to make it look like the government is completely biased against just about everyone from up North and further piss off an entire section of the population.”

In the days since the movement had claimed responsibility for the bomb threat there had been protests both in support of and against the Iron Island’s claim to independence and many of the Premier’s speaking events had been forced to cancel or move at the last minute. Any further escalation would only make an already difficult job that much harder.

It was a testament to how fed up they all were that Jamie seemed to only be able to muster a scowl in response to her words. The three of them had become very good at arguing with each other round in circles for hours although Tamren had already noted that though he constantly threw sarcastic comments in Brienne’s direction, there was no real malice in it on Jamie’s part.

“What we need is to get out of this room for a while. This is ridiculous, I can’t concentrate anymore,” Brienne said, rising from her seat at the desk.

“Fine,” Jamie replied, shutting the laptop in frustration and rising alongside Brienne. “I’m going to walk the perimeter and get an update from the guards.”

“I’m going to the gym,” Brienne grumbled.

Usually, Tamren would have been more than happy to join her but she was intent on trying to figure out who had sent the emails to Kevan. She was agitated and fidgety and more than anything she needed to move around but she couldn’t bring herself to leave until the job was done.

Reluctantly she watched the two them make their way out of the room, griping at each other as they went, before turning back to the information in front of her.

The file before her currently was for one of the young women – a twenty-seven-year-old cleaner who according to the file had been in the government’s employment for a little over a year after moving to the capital from the Iron Islands looking for a better life. The woman had security access to most of the meeting rooms but none of the individual offices used by higher ranking staff, which meant, in theory at least, no computer access, though Brienne had said cleaners sometimes swiped each other in and out of areas when they needed a hand with work. All the same, Tamren thought she seemed an unlikely culprit and her only link to the separatist movement was through a cousin who had been spotted attending rallies and meetings. Tamren was deeply uncomfortable with the idea of digging further into the woman’s personal life but if it would save the woman her job then she tried to justify that it was worth it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a brief knock at the door. She looked up, expecting to see one of the other guards and was instead confronted by Kevan who looked just as surprised as she felt.

“Evening,” Tam greeted him. “If you’re looking for Jamie he’s gone out for a while.”

Kevan seemed to pause for a moment and then gave her a smile before stepping further into the room.

 

 

 

 

Kevan had to admit that whilst he had come to the office looking for his nephew, it was a pleasant surprise to find Tamren there. She must have been off shift as she was casually dressed in jeans and, he noted with some pleasure, the sweatshirt he had given her.

“Actually, I was just dropping in for a quick update on the situation with the Iron Islanders if you’re free?” he said, hoping he didn’t sound quite as pleased as he felt.

She flashed him a quick smile.

“Always, Sir,” she said and nudged the chair beside her out from under the desk with her foot. Kevan didn’t hesitate to join her.

“How has your week with Tywin been?” he asked, wondering if he really wanted to know the answer to that just in case she hadn’t missed him quite as much as he had her.

“Just fine,” Tamren replied, a hint of sarcasm creeping into her tone. “Your brother’s great so long as I don’t speak or smile or breathe in the wrong way around him.”

Kevan swallowed a laugh. “Tamren, he’s your client,” he said in a faux scandalised tone, catching her eye and smiling to reassure her he was joking.

“Well if you could convince the Bank to have me assigned back to you then that would be great,” she grumbled and Kevan felt his breath catch in his throat a little. She was also just joking of course, he managed to remind himself, until she looked over at him and asked: “did you miss me?”

He paused, momentarily unsure what the appropriate response was and then she gave him her distinctly cheeky smirk that, yes, he had, in fact, missed all week, and he settled on teasing her back.

“Well, Mr Trant has been his usual cheery self but . . .” he paused, as if considering his words thoughtfully, “Podrick is a very competent guard. He’s also very good at actually doing what he’s told.”

He wondered if he might have gone a little too far by alluding to their disagreement at the airport but Tamren laughed and rolled her eyes.

“I did warn you I’m a bad influence.”

Kevan felt himself grow warm around the collar as he remembered his brother’s words. This could not become an issue.

He cleared his throat, glancing back to the screen. “Anyway, what have you been working on all week?”

“Besides following your brother around?” She turned the laptop in his direction so he could get a clearer look. “Trying to figure out if there is genuinely any risk some of your staff might have links to the Separatist group. I’m honestly not sure we’ve got the right people but I’m struggling to prove it.”

Kevan scanned through the profile in front of him. He thought he vaguely recognised the young woman in the image at the top of the page but he couldn’t be certain – there were so many staff in the building and he rarely had reason to speak to most of them.

“You know, there’s a hell of an irony to me being the one digging this up,” Tamren said with a wry smile and Kevan glanced over at her as she sat scanning through the information again. He knew she was referring to her file and whilst he was glad she could laugh about it, he still felt distinctly uncomfortable about the whole situation.

“What did you brother say about it?” she asked.

Kevan paused for a moment. She was focused on the screen and didn’t look over at him. “I haven’t told him.”

Her eyes snapped to his, a look of surprise clear before she schooled her expression back to what she clearly intended to be just a mildly interested smile.

“Why not?”

Kevan had considered this for a long time and the justification he’d arrived at was that Tywin’s doctors really had impressed on him the importance of his brother not being too stressed. With everything else that was going on, why add another item to his brother’s list of issues? Especially one that he considered to be a closed matter anyway.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Kevan said eventually. “In fact, it’s almost certainly better for his blood pressure.”

Tamren blinked at him for a moment. “Well that explains why I’ve not been fired then,” she said, clearly trying to make light of the situation, though Kevan could tell it was forced.

“You know, I’m actually not even sure I can,” he said. “Strictly speaking it’s the Bank rather than me that’s in charge.”

Tamren laughed, going back to scrolling through the data on the screen. “I’m pretty sure you can do whatever you want, Kevan. You’re probably the most powerful man in the country.”

He was glad she didn’t look over at him as he felt his discomfort grow. She was right, they were hardly equals and it was yet another reminder of why he should be trying harder to keep his distance rather than looking for excuses to be around her.

“You’re thinking of my brother,” he said but she just shrugged and nudged his shoulder as she pointed at something on the screen.

“See here. This is supposedly what the issue is with this person.”

Kevan read a line she had highlighted relating to the young woman’s cousin – something to do with having been witnessed at a rally?

“That’s it, that’s all we have on her. As far as we know she hasn’t met the cousin since she moved here and phone records show no calls to numbers registered to him.” Tamren shook her head in frustration and Kevan watched as she tapped the touchpad to open up another file. “You know Jamie is talking about just firing the lot of them,” she muttered, clearly unhappy about the situation.

“Well I can see his point.”

From the look she gave him, he gathered that she clearly didn’t agree.

“It would be a lot easier, given they’re all compromised,” he added.

Tamren looked taken aback, a frown falling across her face. “What, like me with the Bank?”

“It’s not the same, Tam,” he said, hoping to placate her. He tried giving her a smile. “The Bank isn’t trying to kill me after all!”

She didn’t laugh and Kevan realised he’d seriously miscalculated the strength of her feeling on this matter.

“These people probably have no idea some distant relative once sat in a meeting room with someone who has a link to this group - it’s ridiculous to fire them over this,” she said, her voice rising a little in apparent anger.

“It’s family -” he tried to argue but she cut him off in a manner he knew he never would have allowed with someone else.

“If you told me right now my father had some link to a group like this I wouldn’t have had a clue. I’ve never even met the guy. How would that be reasonable?” she argued. “How can you hold this against people who’ve worked for your family for months now?”

Tamren looked furious and Kevan knew he was on very dangerous ground now as she seemed to be taking this a lot more personally than he ever would have expected. Besides that afternoon in the chapel he had never heard her speak about her family but he had already gathered it was a very touchy subject and he really hadn’t wanted to pry. Especially given the circumstances around him knowing what he did.

“Tam, your situation isn’t necessarily indicative of other people’s,” he suggested carefully, not wanting to set her off any further. “Many people do have close connections with extended family – it is a risk we have to consider in this case.”

She was shaking her head at him in confusion and Kevan got the sinking feeling he had let her down somehow.

“Gods, do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I haven’t considered how much of my history is missing or lost? I’d rather those connections weren’t held against people lucky enough to have them.”

Kevan felt floored by her words. She’d gone from sounding furious to suddenly lost in a matter of seconds and he had no idea what to say, only that he didn’t want her to hurt – certainly not because of anything he had said.

“We don’t all have our family history profiled in magazines about how much they’re worth,” she muttered and Kevan felt some of his sympathy disappear.

“It’s not always easy being quite so closely watched as that. The constant reminders of the legacy of one's family and being measured against it by a nation aren’t always appreciated,” he said quickly and though she was still scowling, he could immediately see the regret in Tamren’s eyes as he spoke.

It wasn’t something he had put words to many times in his life and Kevan knew he didn’t need to tell her this - he didn’t owe her any kind of explanation. But he had found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

“So yes, I do understand that it is unreasonable to blame these people for the actions of their relatives and to hold them accountable for their mistakes – but that is often how life works.”

 

 

 

 

Tamren knew she had overstepped a line by disagreeing with him but somehow everything he’d said had left her feeling more and more frustrated. She’d needed to make him understand, to have him grasp what this meant to her. She hadn’t considered that he might have his own reasons for feeling rather aggrieved at the situation.

“I’m sorry, Kevan,” she managed eventually and meant it. Gods they’d barely seen each other all week and she didn’t want to spend the time they had arguing.

She was somewhat surprised when rather than telling her the discussion was done and putting her back in her place, Kevan rested a placating hand on her arm.

“So am I. Tamren, I’m not disagreeing with you. All I’m saying is that I can understand why Jamie’s made the point he has about just dismissing them and my brother will likely agree with him. If we don’t want that to happen then we’re going to need to come up with a better argument than simply feeling sorry for them.”     

It was the ‘we’ in that sentence that finally took the sting out of the argument for Tamren and she remembered just why she had become so attached to their odd friendship. He was right – Tywin would expect a logical, pragmatic answer. She took a breath and tried to put her personal feelings aside on the matter.

“If you start dismissing people indiscriminately like this you’ll see an escalation in protests and violence. It’s a quick way to increase the threats. From a security standpoint, my opinion is that it would be a very bad move.”

Kevan looked satisfied with that and gave her a nod. “That’s more like it. We’re also leaving ourselves open to lawsuits and the campaign could do without the bad publicity at the moment.”

That struck her personally as a considerably less compelling argument, but knowing Tywin it would probably be the one he would be most likely to listen to.

“So you’ll back me up if I have to argue this?” she asked.

Kevan gave her a long look then sat back in his chair, running a weary hand across his face. “If it comes to that then, yes, I will.”

Tamren felt a rising sense of relief – she knew there was a reason she trusted this man.

She didn’t have a chance to thank him as the door opened and Jamie came striding back into the room having apparently returned from his patrol of the grounds if his red cheeks and windswept hair were anything to go by.

“Uncle,” he greeted Kevan with a polite nod, apparently unsurprised to see him there and without so much as pausing, took a seat opposite them. “Can I help you with anything?”

Kevan rose beside her and Tamren felt a flash of frustration at her colleague for interrupting. It felt like there was so much more she needed to say.

“No, Tamren has gone through everything with me. I’ll leave you to it,” he said, making his way across the office to leave though he paused in the doorway, looking back to her.  “Are you providing security for the Premier tomorrow?” he asked.

Tamren nodded, he was referring to the leadership debate that would be taking place. “Well, I’ll see you then. Good night.”

When he left, Tamren couldn’t help but throw Jamie an exasperated look as he lounged back in the chair, boots up on the desk.

“What?” he asked with a confused shrug. Tamren just sighed in annoyance and went back to work.

 

 

 

 

Kevan found himself feeling restless as he waited in the car for Tamren to arrive. He’d spent hours running Joffrey through his notes in preparation for the debate but still, the sooner they could get to the studio and start getting set up, the better. All this waiting around for the guards to meet them at the cars was frustrating but Kevan knew they were stretched thin currently with a large contingent having flown south to Dorne with his brother that morning.

Whilst ordinarily Kevan would have appreciated his brother’s presence for such a high profile event as this, given the circumstances he was grateful Tywin would not be there. The debate itself was going to be difficult enough but having Tywin and Tyrion see each other for the first time in months was a problem he had not wanted to contend with. He wasn’t sure the campaign would have survived the bad press should the two of them have had some kind of row and Tywin had seemingly agreed as he had made no attempt to re-schedule his trip when the date of the debate had been announced.

Still, Kevan did think it was a little sad that Tywin had insisted that Jamie accompany him to Dorne. He knew that no matter the politics involved, Jamie missed his brother dearly and it would have been good to have him there to provide additional security to the Premier. As it was they had been left with ten guards that could be spared from the Government offices themselves, as well as Tamren. Kevan had briefly wondered if after their argument last night she might have requested a re-assignment for the day but when he had enquired again this morning who was allocated to the event, Brienne had assured him she was still on shift.

He heard the engine start and looked over, squinting against the sudden influx of sunlight as the car door opened and his bodyguard slid in beside him.

“Afternoon, ready to go?” she asked with her usual smile. She seemed relatively upbeat, no hint of residual tension in her voice after their row the night the before.

Kevan handed her a takeaway coffee he’d picked up, hoping she would accept it as the peace offering it was intended as.

“Black, no sugar. Correct?” he asked, already knowing it was. He’d made sure of it.

She gave him a grateful smile and took a swig. “Correct. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied and left it at that, indicating to the driver that they were now ready to leave.

The drive took considerably longer than it should have due to awful traffic with weekend shoppers flooding into the city. Kevan felt his tension levels begin to rise as they crawled across town and only realised he was tapping his hand impatiently against the leather seat when Tamren gave him a look and asked him if everything was alright.

 

 

 

 

Tamren didn’t think she’d ever seen Kevan quite so agitated as he was currently. He’d been frowning out of the tinted window for most of the drive, sighing irritably at every red light and continually glancing at his watch. Besides his initial words to her, he’d barely spoken.

“I’m fine,” he’d said after she’d enquired as to how he was doing. “It’s just – well it’s complicated. My nephew will be there.”

Tamren knew immediately he was referring to Tyrion Lannister. The papers and nightly politics reports had run wall to wall coverage on his defection to the Targaryen party to work as their campaign manager a few months ago and she knew relations were strained amongst the family. Brienne had made it clear Jamie had been sent with his father on the trip to Dorne apparently specifically to avoid any kind of unfortunate fall out. Cersie had been banned from attending altogether.

“Family, who’d have them?” she joked and Kevan gave her a rueful smile.

Now she’d had some time to sleep on their argument Tamren realised she might have overreacted a little to what he’d said the previous evening. She wasn’t quite sure why, but she knew she had developed something of a habit of taking his words too personally and she realised she was far more invested in his opinion than was professional.

“Precisely,” Kevan replied and they both settled back into a companionable if tense, silence.

Once they arrived at the studio there was almost no time to think. Tamren escorted Kevan in quickly through a line of protestors at the door and once in, they went through a blur of security checks and talks with the crew members. Tamren kept one eye on Kevan and Joffrey as they were briefed on the technical side of how the debate would take place, but she was more focused on their surroundings. There would be a considerable studio audience and although everyone would be patted down and checked on the doors, the whole event made her feel edgy.

The other issue was going to be keeping the two rival campaign parties separated. Brienne, frustrated she would be unable to attend herself as someone senior needed to remain at parliament, had gone to great lengths that morning to impress on all the staff attending the debate, the importance of ensuring Joffrey and Tyrion did not run into each other. With that in mind, whilst she toured the studio at Kevan’s side, Tamren found she was more focused on the messages being relayed back and forth through her earpiece by the guards watching on the perimeter than she was much to do with the proceedings that would be occurring in front of the camera.

The studio was vast – far bigger than any Tamren had ever visited when escorting celebrity clients to evening tv interviews or even most film sets she had been present on. The stage itself took up only a small portion of the space and beside the two lecterns draped out in the party banners, it was to be kept mostly empty so the focus would remain on both leaders. Most of the rest of the space was occupied by tiers of seating waiting for an audience of concerned citizens and journalists alike. At the moment, it was just crew visible, running to and fro carrying cables, lighting and camera equipment as they rushed to get ready.

“Is Premier Baratheon ready to go into hair and makeup?” a harried-looking studio manager asked, all but jogging up to Kevan’s side.

Kevan looked like he was going to disagree for a moment as he had the debate notes out again and Tamren lent in quickly.

“You might want him to clear the room,” she said. Kevan gave her a quizzical look but took Joffrey aside for one moment.

Tamren tried not to appear to be listening as Kevan attempted to impress on his nephew the importance of remaining polite and friendly to all the staff present throughout proceedings and once he was satisfied there would be no major blunders made in a room full of media personnel, the Premier was marched away, flanked by Clegane and Blount.

Tamren tapped her earpiece when Kevan turned back to her. “The other party are on their way in.”

As they watched two men drag an enormous camera into position across the polished floor, Tamren noticed the crowd of crew near the main walkway part and the Targaryen campaign party swept into the room. All eyes turned to follow Daenerys as she made her way in.

The opposition leader was dressed in black suit trimmed with dark red, her almost white gold hair standing out all the more in contrast to the sombre colours. Though she was slighter in stature than Tamren had expected, she couldn’t help but think the young woman was even more striking in reality than she appeared on screen.

She didn’t have long to take her in as the studio manager hurried over, clearly keen to get the opposition leader into the dressing rooms as quickly as possible. Daenerys was marched away by a slim, skin headed young man with an imposing scowl and in her wake was left a man immediately recognisable as Tyrion Lannister.

Upon spotting Kevan, the diminutive figure made his way over to him, a broad smile stretching across his face as he dodged between crew members.

“Uncle Kevan! It’s been a while. How are you?”

Tamren took a slight step back to give the two men some space and watched as Kevan greeted his nephew with a warm handshake.

“Tyrion, I’m quite well, thank you.”

Tamren had expected some tension on Kevan’s part after how he had seemed in the car, but instead he appeared rather pleased to see his nephew.

“Glad to hear it,” Tyrion replied, a sly look sliding onto his face. “I was worried for a while our mutual friends in the Iron Islands might have caused the brave Premier to cancel the debate.”

Tamren bit back a smile at that. There had been long hours of meetings and arguments over that precise point. She knew Joffrey had been intent on no further public appearances after the separatists had initially claimed responsibility for the bomb scare, but Tywin and Kevan had refused to allow it.

Kevan gave his nephew a long-suffering look. “Nothing Joffrey can’t handle. Your campaign has received threats as well?”

Tyrion gave a nod. “Yes, we’ve had our own problems. Nothing we can’t deal with though. All crisis is an opportunity after all. Speaking of which, how is father?”

“Well enough. I’m sure he would appreciate a visit,” Kevan replied. Tamren suspected that was rather overstating Tywin’s enthusiasm and Tyrion seemed to agree as he gave a humourless laugh.

“I very much doubt that. I’m not sure my presence would be very conducive to his recovery. The stress of attempting to murder me might push him over the edge.”

Kevan gave a frown of frustration but conceded the point.

“Anyway, Jamie’s alright?” Tyrion continued and Tamren noted the way Kevan’s expression softened somewhat.

“He is, busy as ever and missing you I’m sure, but yes, he’s well.”

Tyrion seemed pleased by that.

“And your sister is fine as well,” Kevan added pointedly. Tyrion gave a sour smile.

“Oh I’m quite sure she is. If she’d been the one that was poisoned I’m sure the substance would have somehow curdled in her wine and had no effect. She’ll outlive us all, I’m certain.”

Kevan gave a slight hum of agreement but didn’t comment further and Tamren got the impression both men were enjoying seeing each other again. It came as something of a surprise to note how well Kevan got along with his nephew. Although she knew he tolerated Cersie and respected Jamie greatly, the genuine affection between he and Tyrion was clear. She’d assumed that since Tyrion appeared to be his brother’s least favourite son, Kevan would have also taken issue with him.

She didn’t have long to consider the relationship between the two men as they were joined by a tall, white-bearded figure. The man stood in a rigid military stance that even without the medals pinned to his chest, made it more than clear exactly who he was.

“I believe you’ve met my associate here, General Selmy?” Tyrion said, turning to Kevan. The two men shook hands politely though Tamren noted there was some awkwardness to the way they greeted each other. “Selmy will be taking over the position of Chief of Defence when we oust you all from government,” Tyrion continued and Tamren suddenly remembered the circumstances under which Selmy had left his role as head of the Army, having been unceremoniously fired by Joffrey himself after they had disagreed on budget cuts for the military. The fallout from the man’s dismissal had only left the front pages when Tyrion himself had defected.

“I hope your man’s ready for this, Mr Lannister. He’s going to have to face some tough questions on this situation with the Iron Islands,” Barristan said, an edge to his voice that suggested to Tamren that he hadn’t quite forgiven the Premier for the circumstances surrounding his retirement from the military.

“He’s very well prepared, I can assure you,” Kevan replied. “I only hope your party leader understands the delicate diplomatic nature of the situation. I’ve heard she too can be a little rash in her decision making.”

Though she wasn’t much one for politics herself, Tamren had watched enough high stakes business meetings unfold to be aware that was something of an admission of error on the Joffrey’s part from Kevan. Certainly that was how the older man seemed to take it.

“She’s decisive,” Barristan replied, but he acknowledged Kevan’s words with something approaching a respectful smile.

“And why she has such an excellent team of highly paid, impeccably qualified advisors around her,” Tyrion cut in. “Now, gentlemen, I believe our respective youthful charges require our knowledge.”

He was right – the stage manager was back and hovering around the group, clearly waiting for an opening to get their attention. Tamren fell into step at Kevan’s side as the two of them were escorted backstage, Selmy and Tyrion being directed down a separate corridor. Apparently the order to keep both leader’s apart right up until the debate began extended even to separate dressing rooms.

Tamren halted outside the door, giving Kevan a nod before he disappeared in to give Joffrey a few final words of encouragement and most likely a few sterner ones around keeping the discussion focused on the government’s recent achievements.

He wasn’t in there long before a runner appeared to warn them there were only five minutes left until they were going live. Tamren stood to one side as Kevan stepped out, his expression inscrutable. She waved over the two guards stood at either end of the hallway, and along with Clegane, formed a tight formation around Kevan and Joffrey as they marched to side of stage. They halted a few metres back, out of sight of the cameras

The stage manager re-appeared, fussing with a clipboard and looking so stressed Tamren was momentarily grateful for how easy her own job seemed in comparison – then the countdown began and a presenter stepped into the blinding stage lights to begin announcing the candidates.

“Stick to the talking points – no going off topic!” Kevan said before Joffrey could be motioned on stage. The Premier gave him a glare and then a tight nod. He was nervous, Tamren could see it in his eyes. Kevan gave him a pat on the shoulder that Joffrey shrugged off, but there was no real force to it. He looked like he might actually be sick.

“And do not get drawn into a discussion on the Iron Islands,” Kevan added finally before taking a step back to stand beside her with a grim look.

Moments later the young man was walking out on stage, his opponent striding out to meet him.

 

 

 

 

Both candidates took a little while to get into a rhythm, but once they did, Kevan was pleased to see Joffrey mostly took his advice and did a good job of sticking to the government’s positive employment figures and stable economy whilst attacking Daenerys on her lack of experience and destabilising ideas. It was the best tactic they had in the face of her overwhelmingly more media friendly personality and hopeful promises to the electorate.

He had to admit, their rival was good. Very, very good. For a woman who had only held a mayoral position prior to running for office, she was well polished and passionate when she spoke. Kevan knew she cut through with voters in a way Joffrey never would. He had to trust that they had the advantage on their previous form in office and the public’s reluctance to vote for what they didn’t already know and recognise.

This came into play the further they got into the debate. Daenerys was the better speaker – she had all the best lines and slogans – but Joffrey’s well memorised figures and attack lines were getting continual ripples of applause from the audience in a way that buoyed Kevan’s mood.

As the debate wore on and it became increasingly clear that neither side was winning much ground over the other, Kevan couldn’t help but notice the way Tamren glanced over at the distinguished figure of the shadow defence secretary as he stood next to Tyrion on the opposite side of the stage. Mostly, her eyes flicked back and forth between the audience and the stage, scanning the crowd and watching the crew as they moved around behind the cameras. But every now and then her gaze would land on Selmy and linger there a little longer than seemed entirely necessary.

He began mentally running through her list of previous clients and wondering where along the way she would have come into contact with the former soldier. Certainly he didn’t remember anything in her file about her having done any military service so she couldn’t have served under him and he doubted her brother would ever have made it high enough through the ranks to have anything to do with General Selmy.

After a few minutes of this and as the two candidates were debating the finer merits of their respective education strategies, Kevan lent in close beside his guard and spoke as quietly as he could.

“Have you worked with him before?”

Judging by the way her gaze immediately snapped away from the man, she clearly knew who he meant.

Tamren glanced over at him with a confused smile. “No, Sir. Why do you ask?”

Kevan paused, a sudden thought occurring to him that left him rather uncertain. Was it possible Tamren was attracted to the old General? It seemed unlikely, he thought. The man was in exceptionally good shape for his age it was true, but Kevan was sure Selmy was at least five years older than he was and he struggled to imagine that Tamren would look twice at himself despite her occasional comments.

“No reason. You just seemed rather familiar with him,” he said eventually, interested to see how she might react to that.

“Everyone’s familiar with him - the man’s a hero after all,” she whispered, sounding suddenly a little defensive - and was that a slight blush creeping over her cheeks? It couldn’t be, Kevan rationalised. He was thinking far too much into this.

The audience burst into a round of applause and the presenter stepped back on stage, calling an end to the debate. Around them, crew members began running to their positions as proceedings were wrapped up and they got ready to begin dismantling the set.

“Why?” Tamren asked, a glint to her eye that Kevan recognised as meaning she was trying to get a rise out of him. “Is there an issue with my familiarity with him?”

She was baiting him. He knew she was and yet still he felt a tug of jealousy as he watched her gaze slide over the other man as he stood a few metres away and deep in conversation with Tyrion whilst the two men waited for their leader to step off stage. There was definitely something appreciative about the way Tamren looked over at the tall figure of the General.

“No, of course not,” Kevan said, straightening up. “Please just remember that he is our opposition.”

Tamren laughed beneath her breath and looked back to him.

“Yes, Sir.” She threw him a mock salute and then touched her ear pierce, frowning slightly as she concentrated on what he assumed was a message being relayed through from another guard.

As he waited to see if it was anything that needed his attention, Kevan watched as Joffrey - looking exceptionally pleased with himself - swept past them down the corridor, escorted by Clegane and Blount. Kevan caught the young Premier’s eye momentarily, giving him a quick nod to acknowledge the surprisingly good job the young man had done. Joffrey ignored it.

“The number of protestors outside has increased and there’s been a traffic accident on the main route we were going to take,” Tamren was saying when he turned back to her. Kevan smiled to himself at the way she snapped so quickly between business and bantering – it was a quality he had missed over the last few days without her.

“Can you keep the Premier here for a few minutes whilst I re-organise our journey back?” Tamren asked.

Kevan confirmed he would and began to leave when his guard spoke again.

“Oh, and Sir?”

He turned back to her, brows raised in question. Tamren gave him a smirk.

“For the record, he’s got nothing on his competition.”

That couldn’t possibly mean what he thought it meant, could it? Kevan felt an odd sort of warmth blossom in his chest even as he tried desperately to ignore the implication of her words. She was just messing around and he really didn’t need the distraction right now, there was far too much else he should be focused on.

“I’m going to meet Joffrey in his dressing room. Please arrange our transport back to Parliament, Tamren.”

 

 

 

 

Tamren laughed quietly again as Kevan gave her a final exasperated look and then made his way towards the dressing room. He might have been doing his best to appear irritable but she’d caught the smile in his eyes before he’d rolled them at her in apparent frustration and then stalked off. Winding him up for fun certainly made an enjoyable change from the tension of last night she thought, and it definitely beat having to watch her words so carefully around his brother.

She really hadn’t intended to toy with Kevan like that, but he had started it. In fact, she hadn’t realised she’d been quite so obvious in her regard for Selmy until Kevan had brought it up and then it had just been simply too good an opportunity to miss. She had to admit, it wasn’t exactly difficult to play up her interest in the other man. General Selmy cut quite the figure with his snow white hair and beard and his veterans' medals displayed proudly on his chest. The only person who commanded more attention than he did was Daenerys herself.

Tamren had been distinctly impressed with the way the opposition leader had conducted herself during the debate. She had a poised elegance about her that made her seem somehow imposing whilst not appearing nearly as distant as Joffrey did. Tamren could see why she was doing so well and causing Kevan so many headaches. If her own future wasn’t so contingent on the Baratheon campaign doing well, Tamren would have been tempted to vote for Daenerys herself.

Once both leaders had left, Tamren put the politics aside and sought out the TV studio’s head of security to try and organise getting as many of the protestors cleared from the exit as possible before she had to escort Kevan and the Premier out.

The stocky bald-headed man was stood in near the lower tiers of seats, watching as the last of the audience members were escorted out through the doors at the back of the studio.

“I hear the crowd outside is getting bigger?” she said. The head of security gave her a grim nod.

“Aye, making a lot of noise and fuss but they’re behind the crash barriers.”

“Well get that barrier extended please.”

As difficult as it made her job, they had every right to be there, she knew, and the studio was not able to have them removed. However, for safety purposes, the security cordon could be pushed back further to allow an unimpeded route to the cars and Tamren wanted things to run as smoothly as possible now the hard work was done.

She heard the crackle of a radio as another security guard jogged over to where they were stood.

“We’ve got a problem,” he said, halting at her side. “The audience have been counted out and we’re missing someone.”

Tamren felt herself tense. She looked to the head of security beside her, ready to start barking orders if the man didn’t respond quickly enough.

“Any idea on when we lost them? Where they could have gone?” he asked.

Tamren had a pretty good idea where they might be headed should their disappearance be deliberate rather than that of a lost member of the public aimlessly wandering an enormous set.

The junior security guard shook his head.

“We’ve checked the toilets and there’s no one there. I’m sending more people to the backstage area and I’ve got the crew looking for any unauthorised person-”

Tamren didn’t give him a chance to say anything further. “Keep the politicians in their dressing rooms! No one leaves until this person is found,” she shouted, bolting for Joffrey’s dressing room.

 

 

 

 

Kevan paced back and forth across the worn carpet, waiting for the young Premier to emerge. At one end of the corridor he could see the portly figure of Boros Blount lounging against a wall, at the other stood a security guard for the film studio and for a brief moment he wondered how much longer Tamren would be. There was a family dinner planned once he returned to Parliament and they wouldn’t have much more time together before she was off shift. He wanted to make the most of it – who knew when he would see her again.

As he turned on his heel to resume his pacing in the other direction, he stepped to one side to allow busy crew members to pass. Three of them were carrying equipment and hurried past him without halting, but a fourth man slowed as he approached and Kevan suddenly felt an odd sense of unease as the broad figure made his way towards him.

“Great performance that, real statesman like,” the man said with a wide grin as he moved closer. Kevan tensed but nodded politely to acknowledge him. The man had almost a foot on him and the thick muscle of a someone who worked hard for a living.

“I’m a real fan you know,” he said, as he continued to approach. “What he’s done for this country is incredible, really helped my family out. I’d love to shake his hand, congratulate him, if I could?”

Kevan gave a tight smile and moved in front of the door to the dressing room.

“That’s very kind of you. It’s always good to hear of the positive impact the party is having, but I’m afraid Mr Baratheon is busy at the moment.”

The man moved in closer and Kevan tried and failed to catch Blount’s eye over his shoulder. The other guard was in conversation with a crew member and wasn’t paying attention to the exchange occurring a few feet away from him.

“I’d just need a moment,” the man continued and now Kevan glanced down looking for an ID badge, becoming more concerned when he didn’t spot one. All of the crew should have been wearing lanyards clearly displaying their access status. “Just, let me speak to him.”

“I will pass on your well wishes to the Premier but I’m afraid you need to leave now,” Kevan replied, attempting to be diplomatic even as he felt his heart rate begin to rise.

The man’s expression changed, all attempt at affability falling away as he lunged forward and attempted to shoulder his way past Kevan into the dressing room. Kevan blocked his route, dropping his own shoulder into the man’s chest to force him backwards which only resulted in him being thrown bodily into the door with a heavy thud that knocked the wind from him.

He gasped for breath, trying to brace his feet against the carpet and push back against the solid weight of the bigger man crushing him against the door. He was reaching for the handle and Kevan fought to get an arm free to grip the man’s hand and force it away from the door.

The first punch swung in low and Kevan only just managed to shift his weight to one side to avoid catching the blow intended for his kidney. The second never got close to him as suddenly Tamren tackled the man from behind, dragging his attacker away from him and sending the two of them tumbling sideways to the floor.

As he staggered backwards, bracing himself with a hand against the wall, Kevan caught a blur of movement as a brief scuffle ensued on the floor. For a moment he thought the attacker had managed to use his bigger size to force his way upright but then Tamren slammed the heel of her heavy boot into the side of his knee and he collapsed to the floor with a yelp. She was on top of the man immediately, and Kevan watched as his attacker was suddenly pressed face down into the carpet, yelling and swearing indiscriminately as Tamren used one hand to yank an arm up behind his back and used her shoulder to put pressure on his back, pinning him down.

Kevan stepped forward to assist her but was beaten to it by the massive figure of Sandor Clegane who suddenly appeared beside him, the noise of the fight having apparently caught the attention of the men in the dressing room, as Joffrey was also stood in the open doorway looking fearful and uncertain.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Clegane snarled, crouching to haul the man to his feet and gripping both his arms tight up behind his back using the same submission technique Tamren had. The man gave a yell of pain as his right leg buckled at the knee and he almost crashed back to the carpet, only held upright by Clegane’s strong grip.

“Good question,” Tamren growled, struggling upright and suddenly turning with fury in her eyes on the sweating figure of Boros Blount who had finally come jogging down the corridor.

It was only as she rounded on her colleague that Kevan noticed the blood welling from a cut to her eyebrow. If Tamren was aware of it, she didn’t seem to care, so intent was she in her anger. For a split second as he fought to get his breath back, Kevan was convinced she was going to punch Blount. Instead she jabbed a finger into his chest and he stumbled back a pace, more in shock than from the force which she had used.

“How the hell did you let this happen?” she said, rage clear in her voice.

Blount stammered and spluttered until Tamren got closer and shoved him again. That seemed to snap him out of it and he looked suddenly equally as angry as she was as he went on the defensive.

“I thought he was one of the crew! I can’t be expected to check everyone!” he shouted.

“That’s literally your fucking job you idiot!” Tamren raged, not backing down. “Gods are you completely incompetent? He could have been killed!”

Kevan saw her finally turn to him and for a moment, behind the anger, he thought he saw a flash of fear in her eyes as she took him in, suddenly stepping away from Blount and crossing the floor to him instead. Kevan stood upright, his ribs protesting at the sudden movement and an ache starting to spread through his back where he’d been slammed into the door.

“Are you hurt?” she asked, a frown creasing her features as her eyes roamed over him, apparently searching for any obvious injuries.

Kevan shook his head. “A little sore, but I’m fine,” he said. The shock of it all had caught him off guard but Kevan felt his ego was a little more bruised than anything else.

Tamren didn’t seem reassured, her gaze clouding with worry as she moved closer to him.

“You’re sure? I saw him swing for you?” she said and Kevan was almost taken aback by the concern in her voice.

“Honestly, I’m alright, Tam. You’re the one who’s bleeding.”

She looked confused for a moment and Kevan gestured to her eyebrow. He watched as she raised a pale hand to her face and when she withdrew it to see her fingertips were stained red with blood, she frowned in surprise.

 

 

 

 

With the adrenaline still coursing through her, Tamren couldn’t feel any pain in her face but as she probed at the wound with her fingers she knew it would start to sting once her heart rate returned to normal. For now, the anger kept it at bay.

She went to wipe her fingers off on her jacket but before she could, Kevan was passing her a handkerchief from his pocket, pressing it into her hand and closing his fingers around her own. She held his gaze for a moment, remembering the fear that had surged in her as she’d come sprinting into the corridor to see him being tackled backwards. She’d had no idea if his attacker was carrying a weapon or whether Kevan was already hurt, all she’d known was that she had to get the guy off him, no matter what.

The moment was broken by Blount shouldering past her and over to Clegane. The bigger man shoved the collapsing figure of the attacker at the guard she had been yelling at only moments before and growled at him to get the man to the police outside.

As the attacker was dragged past them, he spat on the carpet at Kevan’s feet. Tamren fought the urge to give him a boot to the other knee and instead put herself in front of her client. Kevan himself had already moved to put himself between the man hurling obscenities at them and the young Premier. He needn’t have bothered though, as Tamren noted that Joffrey had already taken a step back into his dressing room, suddenly seeming to shrink in stature without the hulking presence of Sandor Clegane next to him.

“You got lucky! There’s more of us coming for you! Until the Islands are free none of you lot are safe, you’re -”

“Oh do shut up,” Clegane barked as the man was hauled away. He stepped aside with a look of disgust then turned to Tamren. She felt an enormous paw of a hand clap her on the shoulder. “Good job, lass,” he muttered.

Under other circumstances she would have felt some pride at that, but the intense sense of guilt surging in her at having not been at Kevan’s side when he had most needed her left her with a bitter taste in her mouth.

“I’ll organise the rest of the guards,” she said to Clegane, ignoring his words. “Keep the two of them here until the cars have come round.”

She needed to get some semblance of control back to settle her racing heart and going to yell at the rest of the team would help.

Clegane gave a grunt of acknowledgement, but Tamren barely heard it. As she watched Kevan follow her colleague back into the dressing room - a hand on the Premier’s shoulder but his gaze on her - too many potential ways that situation could have ended up so much worse raced through her mind and competed for her attention.

She swiped Kevan’s handkerchief at her brow again, holding it there for a moment as she felt the blood begin to seep through the cloth, the sudden sting of it bringing her back to the present. She’d never have forgiven herself if something had happened to him.


	12. Chapter 12

The throng of protesters outside of the studio were pressed in tight to the barricades. With all the chanting and yelling, Kevan felt almost suffocated by the crowd as he marched his way through, Tamren sticking tight to his side, her hand pressed firmly against his back and her body between him and a yellow-jacketed police officer monitoring the crowd.

He could feel the tension in his guard as she directed him to the waiting car. She was grim faced and wouldn’t meet his eye as she held the door open for him to slide into the back seat. She didn’t immediately follow, standing to one side and holding the door half open as she watched something happening a few metres away. He assumed she must have been ensuring the Premier was safely tucked into his own vehicle, as a moment later Kevan heard an engine start and then she was beside him, slamming the door shut and blocking out the yelling of the crowd.

Tamren let her head fall back against the seat, giving a deep sigh as their own car began to move off.

“Seven hells that was a complete mess.”

He could hear the anger and frustration in her voice though she was considerably calmer than she had been when confronting Blount earlier. If she hadn’t been quite so furious on his behalf, Kevan would have rounded on the man himself. He knew that though he had borne the brunt of the attack, he had never been the intended target and he was just as angry as Tamren was at how poorly the situation had been managed.

She was still holding his handkerchief to her head and Kevan was concerned to see the white fabric was almost soaked through with blood by this point.

“Tam, let me take a look at that - ” he started but she ignored him and leant forward suddenly, rummaging under the seat for something. A moment later he understood what she was looking for when she produced a first aid kit and balanced it on her knees.

“He never should have got that close to you. I should have had another guard on that corridor. I should have never left your side,” she was saying as she searched through the first aid kit, her anger still clear in her voice and Kevan realised it wasn’t Blount or anyone else the rage was directed at.

“Perhaps we should get you to hospital. That’s a lot of blood,” he suggested, but she shrugged off his words without looking up at him.

“Head injuries always look worse than they are. It’s fine.” 

Kevan frowned in frustration – was she ever going to listen to a word he said?

Tamren missed his response as she was awkwardly rifling through items with one hand, the other pressed to her wound.

“Where the hell are the anti-sceptic wipes? Who put this thing together, Gods!”

She found what she was looking for a moment later and tore the sachet open with her teeth before withdrawing the handkerchief from her head. The wound wasn’t that large but the skin had split wide open and Kevan saw blood begin trickling down her face the moment she released the pressure on it.

Tamren winced as she ran the anti-sceptic wipe across the wound. Unable to see what she was doing, she only succeeded in catching half of the injury and then smearing blood around the edges of it.

“Tam, you’re making a mess of that,” Kevan said gently. She just scowled in frustration and continued dabbing awkwardly at her head and trying to brush her hair away from the wound.

“Here, let me help.”

He reached out cautiously, expecting her to protest. When she didn’t, he took the sterile wipe from her fingers and pressed it across the length of the cut. He could see she was doing her best not to grimace.

“Sorry, it shouldn’t take long,” he reassured her when he felt her tense in pain.

Sat next to each as they were it was difficult to get into a comfortable position to actually tidy the wound up much, especially as they were both jolted by the occasional turning of the car as they raced back to Parliament. Kevan shifted in his seat and raised his other hand to her cheek, holding her head steady and tilting her face towards him so he could get a better look at what he was doing.

Tamren was watching him intently and, even if it was to assist her, he wondered if he’d crossed a professional line by touching her like this.

“Do you mind if I . . ?”

 

 

 

Tamren heard Kevan trail off, his gaze suddenly full of uncertainty as he looked at her. She tried to sound nonchalant about it as she reassured him she was happy for him to continue, but she could feel her heart pounding in her chest in a way even the fight hadn’t provoked.

She didn’t say a word as he carefully wiped at the cut. The pain was a dull throb in comparison to the more pressing sensation of his warm palm on her cheek. She counted her breaths and tried to focus on anything other than the way the lines at the corner of his eyes were creased in concern.

“This really is quite deep,” he murmured, fingers brushing gently across her skin. “I think you should get a couple of stitches.”

“It’ll be fine. Nothing steri strips won’t hold,” she said. Kevan frowned in disagreement.

“You can’t see it, Tam -” he argued.

Tamren felt her frustration rise again. She could look after herself, he was being ridiculous.

“No, but I can feel it. It’s hardly the first time I’ve been injured at work. I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

Kevan didn’t seem convinced so she reached into the kit and held out the box of dressings to him. He gave her a long look and for a moment she thought he was going to disagree further, but eventually he relented and took them. Tamren was surprised at how intensely she missed having his hands on her. He was a client, she tried to remind herself, and she didn’t mess around with clients – certainly not ones on jobs as important as this. But the sensation of his fingers running over her skin had made it difficult to recall why she had that rule exactly.

“Besides, it’s my own fault,” she said, trying not to follow that particular train of thought any further. “If I’d got to you quicker it wouldn’t have happened.”

Kevan paused for a moment.

“None of this was your fault,” he said firmly. Tamren just shook her head and he sighed as he began carefully pressing the dressings into place to pull the wound closed. “For once, Tam, please just listen to me. I don’t blame you for anything that happened. Gods, it would have all gone a lot worse had you not been there.”

Logically she knew he was right. But she still couldn’t shift the sense of guilt that left her feeling tense and irritable.

Kevan pressed the last dressing into place and ran a fresh sterile wipe over her face, dabbing carefully around the edges of the wound.

“There, that’s the best I can do if you’re going to refuse my advice of a hospital visit.”

Tamren ignored the comment, still struggling to wrap her head around how badly she wanted his hands back on her. She shook her head, to clear the thought and immediately regretted the movement as pain pulsed through the wound.

“How bad do I look?” she asked dryly, trying to distract herself. She hadn’t had a chance to get a look at it yet but she suspected she’d soon have an impressive bruise growing on her face if it wasn’t already there.

“I’m sure General Selmy won’t be put off by a few war wounds.”

She shot him a frustrated look but Kevan quirked a smile at her and she found she couldn’t stay irritable at him.

“It’s not his opinion I’m asking for,” she replied. Kevan’s smile faltered a little and he looked uncertain again.

“Two minutes away, Sir.”

The voice of the driver cut through the silence in the car and Tamren sat upright suddenly. She’d almost forgotten they weren’t alone.

Judging by how quickly Kevan shifted away from her, he’d had the same thought.

“If you want to take some time to rest this evening I’ll see about getting another guard to cover you,” he said.

“I can finish my shift,” Tamren shot back a little too quickly. It might only be a private dinner at the Keep but after what had happened today, she didn’t want to be away from his side. “Really, nothing a couple of painkillers won’t sort out,” she added. Kevan didn’t look particularly reassured but he didn’t argue with her.

 

 

 

 

They arrived back at parliament to be greeted by a handful of press shouting questions about the debate. Kevan ignored them as he ensured Joffrey didn’t make any unnecessary comments whilst they made their way into the lobby where the Premier was escorted away by the rest of the security team including Blount who was doing his best to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

Kevan headed to his room with Tamren accompanying him. She left him there to change and freshen up before dinner but when he met her outside again only half an hour later, the spot of blood visible on her collar suggested she had not taken the time to do the same thing. Kevan suspected she may have gone straight to the security office to appraise Brienne of the situation that had occurred but he didn’t have time to dwell on it as they were soon making their way to the dining hall.

It was meant to have been a relatively private family affair, but by the time they arrived, it seemed half the cabinet was there and Kevan found himself entering to a chorus of laughter as the assembled table was being regaled by Joffrey with greatly exaggerated tales of his performance.

“I had the audience eating from the palm of my hand – you could barely hear her over the applause!” Joffrey said to another peel of laughter.

Kevan heard Tamren give a derisive snort next to him. He glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Not quite how I remember it going,” she muttered. Kevan laughed under his breath, glad that she had finally stopped looking so stern about everything.

“Oh, so you were paying attention to the debate? There I was under the impression your attention was rather taken up with someone else,” he teased.

Tamren’s jaw dropped for a second and he thought she was going to snark something back at him, but then she gave a huff of frustration and took up a sentry position against the wall. Kevan gave her a final smile, feeling pleased with himself for finally getting one over on her in their silly teasing, before he made his way over to the rest of the assembled ministers.

“Ahh, Uncle, you’ve finally decided to join us,” Joffrey called as Kevan took his place at the table between Cersei and Mace Tyrell.

“Joffrey was telling us there was an incident? I hope you’re well?” Margery cut in with a look of well-practiced concern.

“I’m fine, thank you,” he replied. “Our security team handled it very effectively.”

Kevan was always grateful for the young woman’s tempering effect on the Premier but non-more so than tonight. He did not have the patience for the young man’s derision this evening.

Margery gave him a smile and turned her attention back to Joffrey who seemed to have forgotten his presence the moment attention lapsed from himself.

As the food was brought out, most of the assembled ministers at the table went straight back to discussing the debate. Whilst the Premier’s performance had been impressive, Kevan thought everyone was rather getting ahead of themselves in terms of their assessment of the Premier’s performance.

“It was quite the show,” Mace Tyrell said, leaning over to grasp his wine as Kevan kept one ear on the conversation further away from them. Cersei in particular was fawning over her son in a way Kevan did not feel was particularly helpful. Joffrey had done well, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

“It was but I think there are a number of policies that will need some work prior to our manifesto launch. Not everything played quite so well with the audience as expected,” he said to the finance minister.

“Oh yes, of course,” Mace blustered. “I’ve been thinking . . .” he said before launching into a list of policy ideas that Kevan truly did not care to listen to.

Kevan was trying to concentrate on what Mace Tyrell was saying, he really was. But the dull ache in his ribs and back coupled with Tamren stood across the room was making it difficult to care about anything the finance minister was saying.

He really had no right to be as concerned about her as he was. She was his guard and she had done her job effectively. He shouldn’t want to rise from the table and go to her and insist she rest. But, as he glanced over at her stood rigid against the wall of the dining room, Kevan found himself analysing the way she was positioned, trying to detect if she seemed tired or uncomfortable. He knew she would never agree to it but she really should have taken the rest of the shift off, he thought.

He averted his gaze, nodding to Tyrell as the man continued speaking.

“And then, of course, there is the consideration of the Bank to take into account. One might want to . . .”

Kevan tried to listen to Mace’s ramblings again but found his attention drifting once more. Tamren was watching the doorway for some reason and he wondered what was going on outside that had caught her attention.

He realised he had been staring when she looked back and caught his eye, giving him a quizzical look. He tried responding with as much of a reassuring smile as he thought he could get away with without being caught and then focused his attention on the finance minister.

Mace was droning on about something to do with the plans for the treasury and Kevan found he was starting to run out energy for the night. His back tightened painfully again as he reached for his wine glass.

Everyone else in the room was almost unbearably upbeat about how the debate had gone and Kevan wondered if they’d all watched the same performance he had. Whilst Joffrey hadn’t performed badly, Kevan thought the buoyant mood was rather misplaced. So far, the post-debate polling he had seen in most cases suggested the public felt that it was Daenerys that had won the exchange.

“And then she had nothing to say in response to that. They might as well have called the election result there and then,” Joffrey was saying as he downed his wine. The young man’s attitude was grating on Kevan.

“You would do well to have some respect for your opposition. She out manoeuvred you on a number of key points. Your delivery could use some work as well,” he interrupted.

The table fell silent. Kevan continued eating, ignoring the growing tension as the premier glared down the table at him. In the background, he saw Brienne Tarth slip into the room and approach Tamren. The two of them were stood close together, Brienne saying something that made Tamren frown and look over to him.

“You must have hit your head during the scuffle, Uncle. We all saw Joff out-perform her,” Cersei snapped at him but Kevan wasn’t paying attention now as instead, he watched the two women approach the table.

“If you are unable to cope with the risks of being at the head of the campaign perhaps it would be best if you were to take a step back,” his niece continued, tone icy. “I’m sure if it were Joff who had been attacked -”

“Cersei, if there had been a single camera present during that particular incident then we would currently be combating headlines about your son’s cowardice in the face of the anger of the public,” Kevan shot back. Cersei was sat frozen rigid with anger but Kevan ignored her and rose from the table to meet his guard and the head of security. He knew neither of them would have interrupted the meal if it wasn’t something urgent.

 

 

 

 

Tamren was glad to have a reason to divert Kevan’s attention. She’d been following the heated exchange between he and his niece with growing apprehension. Cersei was unpredictable at the best of times, but the more she drank the worse it got and Tamren had watched her down the best part of a bottle of Dornish red already. Handling attacking members of the public was one thing, Tamren thought as she met Kevan’s eye and motioned to him to step away from the assembled ministers to give them some privacy. Dealing with his irate family for him was quite another.

“Apologies for the interruption, Sir,” Brienne started as Kevan met them a few paces away from the table. “The police have been in touch to let us know the man that was arrested at the studio has direct links to the separatist movement. He’s being interrogated at the moment but they can only hold him for so long.”

Tamren watched as Kevan took the information in his stride. He looked weary but nodded at Brienne’s words.

“They need both of us to go and give statements and press charges so they can keep him locked up,” Tamren added and Kevan looked to her now.

“Tonight?” he asked.

She didn’t get a chance to respond as Cersei appeared beside them, drink in hand.

“With the three of you whispering away over here like this, anyone might think you were conspiring about something,” she said sweetly, though she was glaring at Kevan.

“Cersei, please leave. This does not concern you,” Kevan replied in frustration. He kept his tone level but Tamren could sense his rising anger at the intrusion.

“If it has anything to do with my son’s safety, then yes, it does concern me,” his niece shot back.

Tamren actually found herself feeling a sliver of sympathy for the other woman at that. Whilst it was difficult to like or respect her, Tamren could at least understand her concern for her child in the face of the threats facing him.

Kevan seemed considerably less tolerant of this as he ignored her and addressed Brienne instead.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Miss Tarth. We’ll see to it immediately.”

Tamren watched as the head of security gave a polite nod of acknowledgement and began to leave. The moment she did, Cersei turned on Kevan.

“You will not cut me out of discussions about Joff’s safety,” she hissed. “I have a right to know -”

“No, you have no right Cersei,” Kevan snapped. It seemed his patience had finally frayed. “You are not part of the cabinet, you are not part of the campaign and you are not a member of the security team. Now sit down.”

Tamren instinctively took a step towards Kevan as she saw Cersei's face go white with rage, but she was not expecting what came next. Before Tamren could think to react Cersei tossed the contents of her glass in Kevan’s face, drenching him in wine.

For a moment, whilst Kevan simply stood there, droplets of red wine running down his face and dripping onto the carpet, Tamren was torn between putting the other woman in a well-deserved arm lock and not losing her job. Then Cersei dropped the glass at her feet and it shattered against the hard wood of the floor, breaking the silence.

“Oops, I must have tripped. Perhaps your servant here could get that cleaned up,” she snarled.

 

 

 

Kevan blinked away the alcohol that had run into his eyes and felt a wash of cold rage run through him as his niece stood smirked up at them both. Beside him, he saw Tamren move and for a second he was worried about what his guard was going to do. Then she stepped away from him, striding to the table to gather up a napkin.

“This is precisely why your father does not trust you with any diplomatic duties,” he growled to Cersei, accepting the cloth from Tamren when she returned to his side. As he took it from her, he noted the flecks of wine that had caught her as well and felt his anger increase.

“Until you can temper your own childish impulses, you will have no part in this government, Cersei.”

He turned on his heel, not waiting for her reaction, and strode past the assembled ministers sat silent and slack-jawed.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, ladies, – there is something I need to attend to.”

No one rose to stop him as he crossed the floor, Tamren falling into step at his side as they exited the dining hall. She remained silent until they made it to the lift and it was only when they stepped inside that she finally spoke.

“Well, I thought I’d dealt with just about every possible incident going – but that was a first,” she said as the doors slid closed.

Kevan ran the napkin over his hair attempting to get the worst of the wine out before he passed it over to Tamren. In the mirror of the lift he could see a steadily blossoming stain spreading across the front of his ruined shirt.

“Glad I can assist with enhancing your CV,” he grumbled, watching as she towelled herself off, carefully dabbing around the wound to her head. “You’ve missed a bit – just there,” he said, gesturing to a dark streak of wine running down the side of her neck. Tamren glanced at herself in the mirror with a frown, then traced her thumb along the mark, gathering up the drip. Kevan felt his anger begin to give way to something else entirely as he watched her suck the wine off her thumb.

She glanced up at him. “That’s about the closest I’m ever going to get to that expensive a vintage,” she joked. “Seems a shame to waste it.”

“I’ll buy you a glass some time,” he mumbled as he watched her continue cleaning herself off. She’d only caught the splashback from what had been launched over himself but he could still see the odd drop of red clinging to her pale skin and shining under the harsh elevator light.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said with a smile then added, “I really don’t know why you put up with her.”

Kevan took a moment to register what she meant. “Because she’s family. I don’t have any choice but to tolerate her - even at her worst,” he replied.

Tamren gave him a smile but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Probably for the best I don’t have any unstable family around to manage then. If someone threw the best part of a bottle of wine in my face there’s no way I’d be quite as calm.”

Kevan could hear the forced note of humour in her voice and tried to steer the conversation back to safer territory

“Well I did wonder if you’d come to my rescue with another flying tackle,” he teased gently and felt his heart lift when she gave a genuine laugh.

“If you want me to next time, that can definitely be arranged.”

The lift doors slid open and the two of them made their way towards his rooms. Kevan could feel the sticky mess of his shirt clinging to his chest and he wanted to get out of it before they headed to the police station to give the necessary statements. Who knew how long they would be stuck there.

He swiped his security pass and held the door open for Tamren who didn’t hesitate this time before stepping inside.

“I’ll just need a minute,” he said, making his way towards his bedroom. Tamren followed and for a moment he was unsure why until she jerked a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the door to his ensuite bathroom.  

“Do you mind if I . . ?”

“No, carry on,” he replied quickly, making his way over to the wardrobe. He’d just started rifling through his suits to find a replacement when he heard her step inside.

“Gods Kevan, how many people can you fit in this bath? It’s enormous!” she called out, her voice echoing off the tiles.

He glanced over his shoulder to see her stood in the doorway.

“I can’t say I’ve ever tried to find out,” he replied and saw her smirk. He felt immediately wary about what would come out of her mouth next as he felt he could almost hear the cogs turning in her mind.

“Two comfortably, I’m sure,” she said and then shut the door.

Kevan felt some relief she hadn’t hung around to take that particular line of questioning any further and turned his attention back to sorting out clean clothes.

 

 

 

 

Tamren dried her hands on the towel beside the sink and looked at herself long and hard in the mirror. She felt exhausted and could see dark circles under her eyes marring her complexion, though nowhere near so much as the bruising that had blossomed around her right brow. She ran a cautious finger over the cut, remembering the sensation of Kevan’s hands doing the same and feeling that now familiar warmth blossom in her chest at the memory. He was just a decent man who cared about his staff, she told herself. It didn’t mean anything that he had been so careful and looked at her with such concern.

She was just the staff, just his guard, she thought, repeating the mantra over in her mind as she probed at the wound. Kevan had done a good job of patching it up and four neatly placed dressings held the laceration closed, but it still stood out, angry and clear - a sharp red line cutting through pale skin.

She still couldn’t place exactly when in the scuffle the injury had occurred but she vaguely remembered catching the attacker’s elbow to her face as they had crashed to the carpet. After that, she’d run entirely on instinct and done her best to avoid allowing him to get any hold on her. With his superior size and strength, Tamren knew to allow him to get a grip on her at any point would have probably resulted in her incurring some far worse injuries.

It really wasn’t the smartest takedown she’d ever pulled and looking back on it now she felt the frustration rise again as she remembered the fear that had gripped her when she’d seen Kevan pinned to the wall.

She tried not to dwell on it, or what could have happened to Kevan – the sense of guilt twisted inside her again and she fought to supress the sensation. He was alive, he was fine and he was likely waiting for her so he could get over to the police station.

At the moment, he also sounded distinctly distracted and when she stepped out of his bathroom, she realised why.

He was dressed in a fresh pair of grey suit trousers, a white dress shirt held in one hand and his phone pressed against his ear with the other. If Tamren had been trying to hang on to any remaining idea that her feelings for Kevan might be even the slightest bit platonic, that went entirely out of the window as she took in the sight of him shirtless in the middle of his bedroom.

“Good, yes, I’m glad that was clear. Economic policy cut through most, I thought,” he said and Tamren realised he must have been speaking to his brother.

Kevan started shrugging on the clean shirt even as he continued making affirmative noises down the line. He managed to get one arm in before he glanced up and seemed surprised to see her. Tamren did her best not to stare at his chest. He was a little leaner and more muscular than she had expected and she couldn’t help but appreciate the sight in front of her as her eyes roamed over his figure. That was until she noticed the faint bruising to his ribs.

“Mmmhmm, yes, I agree,” he continued, now trying to reach behind him for the missing sleeve. He gave a slight grimace, clearly in some pain as the position must have aggravated the injuries he had picked up. Tamren felt concern for him overwhelm any sense of propriety and she took a step towards him

“I, yes, err, we could. I’ll have to find that report. . .” he trailed off and Tamren heard the tinny voice of Tywin coming through the line. Kevan didn’t look to be paying much attention to his brother as he attempted to swap the phone to his other shoulder whilst continuing the call. He glanced up at her briefly as she moved closer.

She tried mouthing “ _speaker phone_ ” at him but he just shrugged and winced again as he tried to gather the other sleeve. That stab of guilt ran through her once more and before she could convince herself it was a bad idea, Tamren moved behind Kevan and held the shirt up for him enough that he could slide his free arm in. Kevan gave her a grateful nod that turned into a look of surprise as she stepped round in front of him and took hold of the collar before he could start using one hand to make an awkward attempt at buttoning it up.

She knew she was really pushing the boundaries of professionalism at this point, but Tamren ignored the warning in the back of her mind and held his shirt open for a moment to get a better look at the bruising to his midsection. It was faint and bluish, marring his solid figure. Ideally, she would have liked to run a hand over him and check he hadn’t damaged his ribs but she stopped short of reaching out for him without asking his permission.

He was still talking to his brother though it was obvious he wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation. She glanced up at him with a frown, gesturing to his injury. He covered his phone with a hand for a moment.

“I’m fine, it’s not as bad as it looks,” he whispered before going back to his brother. “Absolutely, we’ll discuss it first thing tomorrow.”

Tamren gave a sigh of frustration at the way he had brushed off her concern. The wine he’d drunk with dinner might be masking the pain now but she knew from experience he would wake stiff and sore in the morning. He needed to rest.

She dropped his gaze for a moment but didn’t take her hands from his shirt, tugging it together to cover his chest.

“Of course, yes I . . . I err . . . .”

She heard him trail off as she carefully began buttoning the collar.

“Yes, still here, sorry. Carry on.”

She bit back a smile at the sudden edge to his voice and chanced a glance up at him. Which turned out to be a mistake.

Tamren nearly fumbled a button as she caught Kevan’s gaze - heavy and utterly focused on her. She could feel how tense he was as she moved slower now, trying both to hang on to the moment and pay close attention to not actually touching him while she reached cautiously lower for each fastening.

 

 

 

 

Kevan could feel his heart hammering in his chest as Tamren’s hands brush over him through the thin fabric of his shirt. He should stop her, he knew he should. But God’s he didn’t want to.

He had seen the way her eyes roamed over him when she stepped out of the bathroom and whilst he’d felt intensely self-conscious under her scrutiny, he’d found himself struggling to get his words out as he noted the unmistakably appreciative look that had crept onto her face. When she’d stepped in closer and for a moment he was unsure what her intentions were, he’d briefly contemplated hanging up on his brother. That was until he’d seen her frown and realised it was the bruising she was focused on rather than his figure.

She was stood only inches from him and Kevan couldn’t look away from his guard as she continued gradually working her way down his shirt, agile fingers making easy work of each fastening though he thought she was rather taking her time about it. He swallowed hard as she passed his ribs, pausing and moving more carefully – he assumed doing her best not to cause him any pain.

“Kevan? Are you still there?”

Shit, his brother!

Tywin’s voice crackled in his ear as he snapped back to reality for a moment, trying to focus on what he’d been saying. Exhaustion was making his head swim - or was it having her so close? Gods he needed to get a grip, she was helping him into his clothes, not out of them!

“Yes, sorry. I’m running out of battery here,” he said to his brother. He saw the corners of Tamren’s lips lift at that.

Her eyes were still holding his own and Kevan felt suddenly lost as he thought he could read everything and nothing in her expression at the same time. He didn’t trust himself to not just be seeing what he wanted to see. He knew he shouldn’t touch her - shouldn’t even be entertaining any thoughts of her that had crossed his mind recently - but she was the one in charge, it was her hands on him and he was utterly transfixed.

As she reached for another button, he felt her fingertips just barely skim against the sensitive skin of his abdomen and heard himself take a sharp intake of breath. He prayed no one else had.

“I’ll speak to you in the morning, Ty,” he said, finally giving up on trying to concentrate on a word his brother was saying.

Whilst he tucked his phone away in his pocket, Tamren unnecessarily continued doing the last of the buttons on his shirt. Her hands lingered on the fabric for a moment once she was done, seemingly reluctant to release her hold on him.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”

There was nothing accusing in her tone, just concern and confusion and he wanted to reach for her. They’d already crossed so many professional lines by this point, what was one more?

He settled for resting his hands over her own.

“Because you were already beating yourself up about the situation enough as it was. There didn’t seem much point,” he said. She looked deeply unimpressed by that and he continued quickly. “Besides, I’m not some fragile old man, Tamren - I can take a few bruises.”

To his relief, she laughed quietly at that.

“I can see that,” she said and he tried to detect whether there was a hint of teasing about that or if she was being sincere.

All Kevan could think about was the way she’d looked at him when she’d first stepped into the room. Had that all just been more teasing on her part? A quick look to boost his ego and keep him happy? Or had she really been enjoying taking in the sight of him in the same way he’d seen her do with Selmy earlier in the day? Gods it had been so long since he’d had to even think about any of this and Kevan felt like he’d completely forgotten the rules of a game he had never truly had to learn.

“You’re sure you’re alright, Kevan?” Tamren asked, cutting through his thoughts. He realised he’d taken far too long to respond.

“I’m fine, honestly. It’s just a bruise, there’s nothing you can do for it anyway,” he reassured her.

She raised an eyebrow at that.

“Hot bath and a massage would be a good start,” she suggested.

Kevan felt himself grow warm at her words and tried to ignore the images that rose in his mind.

“How’s your head?” he asked quickly.

“Fine. You did a good job patching me up. I actually think the swelling is going down already – see?”

She tilted her head, gesturing to the injury. In the low light of his room, Kevan wasn’t sure the inflammation was looking any better but he couldn’t be sure.

Something in the way she looked at him urged him on despite the voice in the back of his mind warning him this was a terrible idea. Kevan raised a hand to her face and hesitantly brushed his thumb over the bruising to her brow, careful to avoid touching the wound itself.

 

 

 

 

Tamren held her breath and didn’t drop his gaze as his fingers grazed over her skin. He was being so cautious and she desperately didn’t want him to stop. By this point, if he was any other man, if it was any other situation, she’d have just leant forward and kissed him. But she held back, waiting for him to make a move - there was just too much at risk if she’d read his intentions wrong.

His fingers were moving so carefully and all she could see in his eyes was concern rather than the desire she had hoped for. Then his eyes finally fell to her lips and lingered there for a second, leaving her convinced he was going to kiss her - and professionalism be dammed, she was going to start taking that shirt straight back off him the moment he did.

“I’m sorry you were hurt,” he said quietly.

“Just doing my job, Sir,” she joked, hoping lightening the tension might help him make the decision she wanted him to.

She realised she’d made a mistake the moment the words left her mouth. Kevan winced visibly at the Sir and immediately dropped his hand from her.

“Yes, of course – sorry, I . . .” he trailed off and Tamren felt the twist of guilt come back with a vengeance.

She tried to reach for his hands but he’d shoved them deep in his trouser pockets as if to put a physical barrier between himself and the possibility of touching her.

He took a step back and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Kevan -” she started but he cut her off.

“We need to get over to the station. If you could wait outside a moment.”

His tone had shifted completely and Tamren knew it would be pointless to argue with him. That had felt like more of an order than a request.

Silently cursing herself, she gave a nod of acknowledgment and strode from the room.


	13. Chapter 13

Tamren stood on the edge of the gym with a satisfied expression as she watched the security team train around her. It had taken some persuading and a bit of creative management of the rota to get so many of them in there at once, but it had definitely been worth it, she thought. Everyone had learned something new and a good few of them had clearly gotten more exercise than they’d had in months.

She’d been sat, fidgety and restless, in the security office and ranting yet again about Blount’s inability to do his job correctly, when Brienne had suggested that, rather than just raging about the guard’s ineptitude, they actually do something about it and implement some training.

“It’ll be good for team building as well,” Brienne had suggested but Tamren really hadn’t needed any further persuading. Anything to move rather than to sit there dwelling on everything that was bothering her.

With Joffrey and the rest of the campaign team working on policy ideas following the debate, there’d been no visits to organise and no one to escort outside of the building, leaving Tamren with very little to do other than to keep running over and over the events of the previous night.

Part of her was still furious that she hadn’t just kissed Kevan when she’d had the chance. The more professional, rational part her realised it had been a near miss. There had been a brief moment where she was sure he wanted her as much as she had come to realise she wanted him – and then he had backed off and pointedly avoided engaging with her more than was politely necessary for the rest of the night whilst they had given their statements to the police. After they’d returned to Parliament he’d said an awkward goodnight without meeting her eye and she hadn’t seen him since. Perhaps it really was for the best that she hadn’t done anything too impulsive, she thought.

“You’re looking miserable about something again,” a voice said and Tamren almost jumped as Brienne appeared at her side. The head of Government security was rosy cheeked and looking invigorated having just taken Meryn Trant down to the mat in a perfect demonstration of how to disarm an attacker wielding a knife. “Podrick could use a different sparring partner for a while. Why don’t you go and run rings around him for a bit and take your mind off it.”

Tamren gave her a grateful look. Brienne could sometimes be awkward and brusque when it came to anything other than work, but she was incredibly perceptive, she had realised, as well as more empathetic than her intimidating demeanour first suggested.

Twenty minutes later Tamren was sweating and gasping for breath but feeling more energised than she had in days. Podrick lay on his back at her feet, winded, but wearing a wry smile as she extended a hand to help him back up.

“Next time, drop your left foot back further to balance you and wait until I’m closer to duck your shoulder,” Tamren advised the young man as he struggled upright.

“I’m used to practising that with someone much taller,” he offered as defence for having been taken down for the third time. “I can’t imagine many attackers I deal with will be quite as small as yourself – no offense.”

Tamren laughed and Brienne patted Podrick on the back companionably.

“You have to learn to adapt,” Tamren said, swiping back hair from her sweaty forehead and looking round at the other staff practicing arm holds and throws around them.

Podrick looked up at his mentor with a grin. “I’d like to see you adapt to taking down Miss Tarth here,” he said, eyes flashing mischievously.

Tamren glanced up at her friend and raised her hands in submission when Brienne gave her a challenging look. “I know my limits,” Tamren offered. “Fighting someone twice my size requires slightly dirtier tricks than I want to use in the gym.”

“How about adapting to me then love?”

Tamren felt herself tense. She didn’t need to turn to know who had yelled across the gym floor at her but when she did, she saw Bronn come swaggering over, leaving the guard he had been sparring against coughing and spluttering on the floor.

“I’m about half the size of our fearless leader here. Let’s see if you’re as good as Nestoris thinks you are.”

 

 

 

 

Kevan took a step forward into the gym to better observe the tense exchange taking place across the floor – all thoughts of making his way to his office to finish his report long forgotten.

He’d watched entranced for a few minutes as his guard had sparred with Podrick, the two of them grinning and laughing even as they had grappled briefly and then she had sent him over her shoulder onto the floor. Tamren looked the most relaxed Kevan had seen her since they had returned from the trip to Winterfell, so he kept his distance, enjoying seeing her in her element and at the same time feeling a tension flare in his chest that he had been trying to ignore all day.

Without noticing it, what had started as a silly crush had rapidly developed into something more and he really didn’t know what to do about it. It had been so long since he had felt something for anyone other than his ex-wife, that even if he and Tamren had been in a position to pursue whatever was happening between them, Kevan didn’t think he knew where to start. He’d been married to the same person for the best part of thirty years, even if they had been somewhat estranged for the last few of those, and before that he’d rarely had to work very hard to meet women – the Lannister name had done most of the work for him. But now that name and his position were precisely the problem.

He knew what he should do – have her moved off his security detail entirely and stay away from her at all costs. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. And right now as he watched her square up to Bronn, he felt a pressing need to be closer to her.

The change in atmosphere was palpable. Most of the other guards had ceased their own training and were stood watching Tamren and Bronn. No one even seemed to glance in his direction when he moved closer and Kevan got the distinct impression that everyone in the room was aware of how much the two Iron Bank employees disliked each other.

Tamren and Bronn were circling each other on the mat, Tamren with a wary energy and her eyes fixed on her opponent. In contrast, Bronn was seemingly relaxed, shaking out his arms and bouncing on his toes as he grinned at her and beckoned her closer.

“Come on love, I don’t bite. Not unless you ask me to,” he taunted. A couple of laughs went round the assembled guards and Kevan felt a flicker of anger.

Tamren didn’t respond to the taunt, instead swapping her stance and making a testing lunge forward which Bronn dodged lazily.

“Oh come on, you’re better than that,” the man scoffed, but Kevan could see him narrow his eyes at the same time and drop into a lower stance that Tamren mirrored.

There was a murmuring going around the assembled security team now. A few of the guards called out support to the two of them as people began to pick sides. Kevan watched, fascinated by the way the two opponents moved around each other, darting in and out, never standing still for more than a second.

Bronn suddenly stepped in to Tamren, trying to get a grip on her arm. She pulled it away and in a flash, had hold of the front of his shirt, twisting it in her hands as she ducked a shoulder and wrapped an arm around Bronn’s leg, pulling it out and throwing him off balance so he crashed to the floor.

A few cheers went up. Kevan shifted his position and moved in closer to better be able to see what was happening on the floor now. A couple of guards on the outer edge of the circle moved aside for him with deferential nods and murmurs of “Sir,” but they didn’t take their eyes from the fight.

Tamren had somehow gotten Bronn’s arm in a tight lock, twisting it round in a manner that looked painful enough that Kevan was convinced the other man was going to give in and submit. Then Bronn used his free hand to break her grip and Kevan felt himself tense as Bronn went to grasp her in a choke hold. Tamren rolled aside at the last minute, wrapping her legs around the arm that had stretched out to grasp her neck and giving a sharp pull so that Bronn landed on top of her on his back.

Kevan had assumed that would be bad for her, but the guards were yelling and whooping now and he could see why. Bronn was twisting and turning, teeth gritted as he fought to get his arm free but Tamren had it caught fast, her hands now gripped around his wrist so he couldn’t go anywhere. It was increasingly clear he would have to submit rather than risk an injury.

“Call it,” someone shouted next to him and Kevan glanced over to see Brienne take a step forward to put an end to the fight before Bronn’s ego got his shoulder dislocated.

 

 

 

 

Tamren knew the fight was over the moment Bronn started to thrash around. They’d all agreed the rules at the start of the session in order to avoid any unnecessary injuries that would result in anyone having to take time off work. Without throwing a punch or something similar, there was no way he could get free without tearing a muscle.

She could hear him panting hard and felt sweat pouring down her chest as she held fast to his arm, refusing to let go until she heard him say the words and admit she had won.

“Don’t be stupid, just say it,” she said, through gritted teeth.

“I think you’re enjoying having me on top of you too much for that,” Bronn snarled, low enough that they wouldn’t be heard over the shouts of the crowd. “Not getting what you want out of Kevan? They do always say he’s the dullest of the Lannis -”

Tamren pulled a little harder than she perhaps should have and Bronn gave a hiss of pain that turned into a sly laugh.

“I can just feel all that pent up frustration,” he ground out between clenched teeth, loud enough now to prompt a couple of whistles from the men around them. “Why don’t you let me roll over and I’ll do something about that for you?”

Tamren fought the urge to just wrench his shoulder from its socket as she felt Bronn’s free arm reach for any part of her he could grasp. When he couldn’t get a grip on her, she heard him give a grunt of frustration.

“You’re really going to have to learn to fight dirtier if you’re going to get what you want love. See what I mean?”

Tamren ignored him but then suddenly realised what he meant when he pulled back his free arm again and threw his elbow back hard into her unprotected side. She gasped in pain, instinctively loosening her grip on him as she fought for air. Bronn had flipped over in an instant and went to pin her.

“How about you try wrapping those legs around my head this time, darlin’. See if you still want to throw me off then. I’ll have you screaming in -”

Tamren ignored everything they had previously agreed and kicked him hard in the chest. Bronn was thrown backwards off her and the moment she was free of the weight of him, Tamren dragged herself to her feet. Bronn struggled to his, but before he could steady himself, she lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar, momentum forcing him backwards across the mats. Somewhere in the background she was vaguely aware of Brienne shouting something at the two of them, but she ignored it.

Bronn’s smirk turned to a look of surprise, then a steely glare as he gripped her wrists, nails biting into her skin. Tamren dropped a shoulder and was braced to throw it into him when she heard a familiar voice cut across the noise.

“That’s enough!”

Tamren didn’t release her grip on the other guard, twisting the fabric in her fingers as they stared each other down. It was only when Kevan stepped into view and repeated his command that they both let go of each other. Bronn took a step back from her, the familiar smirk sliding onto his face as he straightened out his shirt.

“Evening, Sir. We were just -”

“You will apologise, immediately,” Kevan all but growled, gaze fixed on the other man. Tamren felt the adrenalin thrumming through her veins but over the haze of anger she was gratified to see Bronn’s grin falter at the look on the older man’s face.

“Sir, it was just - ” he started, his bravado slipping.

“Did I not make myself clear, Mr Blackwater? Apologise to her, now.”

Tamren didn’t move as Bronn muttered the words through a tight grimace then made to walk past Kevan. He blocked the guard’s way. “And if I ever hear you speak to your colleague like that again, I will have you fired on the spot and charged with harassment. Is that understood?”

There was an ice to Kevan’s tone that Tamren had never heard before and Bronn straightened up as he seemed to realise the trouble he was in. “Understood, Sir.”

“Good. Now get out.”

Tamren watched as he left the gym hurriedly without so much as a backwards glance. The rest of the guards still loitering around the edge of the training mats seemed to take that as their cue to leave as well, gathering their things and slipping out of the tense atmosphere.

Kevan finally turned to her as she got her breathing under control, feeling the anger at Bronn’s cheap shot still flowing through her.

“Are you alright?” he asked, a frown still sitting heavy across his brow. For a second, Tamren thought he was going to reach for her but he didn’t move.

“Fine, Sir,” she said, the words coming out sharper than she meant to. She could still see Brienne hovering to one side, apparently uncertain about whether to approach them or not. “I can deal with him on my own.”

“I know that, Tam. It doesn’t mean you should have to,” Kevan replied, his frown deepening. “I’m well aware of how capable you are,” he added and Tamren immediately felt guilty for snapping at him.

“Sorry, I’m just . . .” She ran a hand through her hair in frustration - this was not how she had envisaged her next conversation with him going. It felt like they were forever apologising to each other.

Tamren closed her eyes for a moment and took a long breath in an attempt to calm down. When she opened them again, Kevan had moved closer and was wearing an odd expression that she couldn’t quite place.

“Let’s try this again,” she started, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Thank you for stepping in. How are your ribs today?”

Kevan ran a hand over his abdomen and Tamren remembered the way he had tensed when her fingers had brushed over him the night before. As she held his gaze for a moment, she wondered if he was considering the same thing.

“A little sore, but just fine,” he replied.

“Good. I was thinking, when you’re feeling up to it, we really should run you through some self-defence sessions of your own.”

Kevan gave her half a smile at that. “I thought I was holding my own rather well until you got there.”

Tamren didn’t get an opportunity to respond any further as Brienne chose that moment to finally step towards them, her phone in hand.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, glancing between the two of them and giving Tamren a look that left her feeling like she would be in for a few questions from her friend later. “Jamie’s called and asked us to meet at Tywin’s office. Something to do with the arrest yesterday.”

 

 

 

 

Kevan walked between the two guards - Tamren back in her customary position close at his side, Brienne at a somewhat more respectable distance - as they made their way over to his brother’s office. He was almost grateful for the interruption to take his mind off the fight – Bronn’s behaviour had left him furious in a way even Cersei’s antics hadn’t managed.

Jamie was already there when the three of them arrived. He stood on one side of Tywin’s enormous desk – the man himself seated behind it, his back to the dark, Kings Landing skyline.

“Is there a reason the two of you are out of uniform?” Tywin asked, one eyebrow arched imperiously and gaze raking over the two women stood either side of Kevan.

“Staff training session,” Brienne replied as she halted and stood to attention in the middle of the room.

“We felt it necessary following yesterday’s incident,” Tamren added.

Kevan met Tywin’s eye briefly and he could see the question clear in his brother’s expression without him needing to give voice to it. _Why were you there?_

“Which I understand is why you’ve gathered us?” Kevan said. Tywin gave a nod and waved a hand to Jamie, leaving him to explain.

“The police have spent all day interrogating Mr Dagmer, but he’s not giving us anything so far,” said the young man. Kevan wasn’t sure of his point. He and Tamren had already been informed by the police last night that his attacker wasn’t being very co-operative, which was precisely why they had given their statements and pressed charges for the assault.

“Regardless, he isn’t being released,” Kevan cut in. Jamie nodded.

“He’s not. But, given he has been identified as a ringleader within the Separatist movement, he must have names involved with the poisoning and the threats issued recently. The police aren’t making any headway with it so I propose I politely ask the man a few questions myself.”

Kevan gave his brother a wary look.

“Sorry, why exactly do _you_ need to do this?” Tamren asked from beside him.

“Because I want to ask him about our suspects within the staff without handing that particular information over to the police just yet,” Jamie replied to her directly. “I thought you’d understand given you seemed quite keen not to have them thrown out without a fair chance?”

“And what makes you think you’ll be any more successful getting answers from him?” she asked.

The room fell silent. Judging by the way Tamren’s expression clouded, Kevan didn’t think any further explanation was really necessary.

“Because Jamie can be considerably more persuasive than our officers of the law can be,” Tywin growled from behind the desk.

“You can’t be serious?”

Everyone turned to Brienne who was looking at Jamie with a horrified expression.

“I’m not suggesting anything _illegal_ ,” Jamie started, suddenly looking a little more uncomfortable when faced with the wrath of the head of security than Kevan would have expected. “But we’ve both done military service and you and I know there are more effective ways of asking questions than perhaps our civilian friends may be aware of.”

Brienne was glaring daggers at Jamie but she didn’t say anything further. Kevan noted Tamren was also surprisingly quiet for someone who was usually so quick to chime in regardless of who was in the room. She was wearing the blank, professional expression he associated with her covering for something and he suspected she wasn’t comfortable with the situation herself.

“If the two of you would like to continue this discussion, I would recommend you do it on your own time,” Tywin said, sounding bored by the whole thing already. Brienne’s look to Jamie suggested that yes, this absolutely was something she would be bringing up with him later.

Kevan did not wish to disagree with his brother in front of the others but he had his own concerns about precisely what Jamie intended. He knew his nephew had been involved in some slightly shady practice involving corporate espionage for the company prior to taking up his post with the Baratheon campaign, but that was quite different to what it sounded like he and Tywin had in mind.

“I’ll be going straight over to the station. You’ll hear anything as soon as I do,” Jamie said to his father and turned to leave.

“A little restraint might not go amiss, Jamie,” Kevan said, halting his nephew on the way out. He could see Tywin narrowing his eyes at him but ignored his brother’s glare. “I appreciate we are all concerned for the Premier’s safety, but we have the effect on the campaign to consider should anything, unfortunate, happen.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Uncle.”

Jamie gave them all a final nod, finishing with Brienne who could barely look at him.

“If there’s nothing else, Sir, might I be excused?” she said to Tywin. He granted her permission, gesturing to Tamren to go as well. Kevan gave her a brief look as he watched the two of them stride out of the door after Jamie, but he struggled to read anything in her expression. The muffled sounds of an argument cut through the room the moment the door shut behind them.

“Anything _unfortunate_ that might happen might serve to keep the rest of these anarchists in line,” Tywin said, ignoring the retreating sounds of the row. Kevan gave his brother a reproachful look.

“You don’t honestly believe that Ty. You remember how violent the previous uprisings were as well as I do. No one wants a repeat of that.”

“And we won’t have one,” Tywin replied firmly. “Not if I can help it. Now, we have some things to discuss regarding Joffrey’s visit to the Reach tomorrow.” He slid open a desk drawer, withdrawing a bottle of whiskey. “Drink?” he asked, placing two tumblers on the desk.

“So long as I don’t end up wearing this one,” Kevan grumbled.

 

 

 

Tamren was pacing the floor in the security office waiting for Brienne to arrive so she could get her shift assignment for the day. The last she’d seen of the other woman the night before, she and Jamie had been yelling at each other as they got into the lift and Tamren had decided to take a detour to the stairs rather than risk being stuck in there with the two of them.

She had lain awake most of the night after they’d left Tywin’s office, debating with herself how she felt about what Jamie was up to. Or at least, what she suspected he was up to. Part of her was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep Kevan safe – even if that did mean some rather unsavoury actions. But Kevan was right, the fallout from this could fuel the fire of dissent further and increase the risk to them all considerably. Perhaps it was better, and considerably more ethical, to leave it all to the long, slow, processes of the law.

She hadn’t reached a conclusion by dawn and rather than toss and turn any longer, she had risen early and headed to the gym. She’d been hoping she might bump into Kevan but she’d yet to see anything of him.

When Brienne did eventually arrive, she was clutching a coffee and looking like she hadn’t slept for a second. Tamren didn’t think it was worth enquiring whether or not she had heard from Jamie and quite honestly she was happier not knowing. The two of them were constantly grouching and sniping at each other in a manner that was so obviously a cover for something else, that Tamren thought it best to steer well clear of that particular issue when Brienne was clearly in a bad mood.

“You’re here early,” the head of security grouched, taking a seat behind the desk.

“Since we re-shuffled all the rotas yesterday, I actually don’t know where I’m assigned today,” Tamren replied.

Brienne tossed a print out on the desk in front of her without looking up. Tamren spun it round to take a look at the rota, squinting down at in disbelief as she thought for a moment she must have read it wrong.

“Tywin again?” she groaned. “Seriously, what have I done to deserve this?”

“He’s got a meeting across town with the PR firm and I need someone competent there. As Jamie isn’t back yet . . .” Brienne trailed off with a shrug. Tamren didn’t find her argument very convincing.

“Come on, Podrick can handle this one,” she pleaded.  “He’s smart, he keeps out of everyone’s way, and he doesn’t glower in the corner upsetting the guests.”

Brienne gave her a piercing look over her coffee. “Is it that you don’t want to be with Tywin or that you’d rather be assigned to Kevan?”

Tamren knew she’d been caught out but she wasn’t going to give in quite that easily.

“Neither. Kevan’s with the Premier and that’s where all the risk is at the moment – you need someone competent there more than you do with Tywin, surely?”

Tamren could see Brienne was still looking deeply sceptical as she stared at her across the expanse of the desk.

“Come on, I’ve dealt with one incident already, you know I’ve got this covered,” she argued.

“It’s a Union event, Mace will be there – and Bronn,” Brienne warned.

Tamren did pause at that, but the thought of being able to catch up with Kevan for a while won out over her desire to avoid her colleague.

“We’ll keep it civil, I promise.”

Brienne gave a defeated sigh and stared at the rota for a minute.

“I really shouldn’t be doing this. But, fine, I’ll swap you with Podrick. You need to meet them out at the campaign bus in half an hour.”

Tamren jumped up with a grin. “I owe you!”

“Yes, you do,” Brienne grouched.

In her haste to exit the office, Tamren nearly collided with Jamie on his way in. He looked tired but was wearing a grimly satisfied smile that suggested his night had been successful.

Tamren paused for a moment, contemplating sticking around to hear what he’d managed to find out. Then she caught the look Brienne was giving him and she decided she really didn’t want to be anywhere near the impending argument.

When she climbed the steps of the tour bus a short while later, she found Kevan and the rest of the campaign crew were already on board. Tamren saw him glance up from the paperwork he was reviewing with the party’s press officer and she gave him a brief smile that he returned as she filed past him to take up a seat near the driver.

This end of the bus had a few rows of regular seating but from there back, it was set up like an office on wheels with a couple of tables that the video crew were seated round whilst tapping away at laptops, and a booth at the back that allowed for interviews with local journalists to take place wherever the campaign might end up whilst touring the country. Tamren had expected Kevan to stay down that end to focus on work, but once they had set off, following the armoured cars that Joffrey and Mace Tyrell were travelling in, Kevan made his way over.

“I didn’t realise you were assigned to us today?” he said as he slid into the seat next to her. Tamren wasn’t quite sure how to take that given everything that had happened between them recently.

“We had to do some reshuffling around training yesterday. You got the short straw so you’re stuck with me for the day,” she joked and was pleased that at least raised a smile from him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You might by the end of the day though – I’m afraid this is going to be either very dull or very stressful.”

He wasn’t wrong, Tamren thought hours later as she stood in the light drizzle, watching from the side-lines as Joffrey attempted to speak to an assembled crowd of protestors who had gathered outside the Union offices during the time in which the campaign crew had been inside. He was flanked by Mace Tyrell and a few of the Union bosses, all doing their best to present a united front despite looking cold and uncomfortable.

Initially the noise had kept up and turned to jeers when Joffrey had first launched into his speech, but gradually the crowd had quieted enough to stop and listen. Tamren wasn’t much interested in what the young man had to say, just grateful no one had tried to hit him yet.

It was Kevan’s idea that Joffrey take the time to stop and actually address the concerns of the crowd. Whilst she had stood next to him in the Union conference room, waiting for him to finish writing up a few brief lines on what to say to the disgruntled crowd, he’d explained to her that Joffrey’s avoidance of engaging with the complaints of the electorate was starting to be seen as cowardice. She’d tried suggesting that right now - without a strict security plan in place - might not be the optimal time to attempt to address that, but he had insisted and Tamren knew it wasn’t her place to argue with him any further. He’d already done her enough favours today, having requested she accompany him in to the meeting rather than leaving her stood in the corridor alongside Bronn for the duration as she had expected.

There was a smattering of applause but mostly shouts of further complaints and questions as Joffrey finished speaking and one of the Union bosses took over. Tamren took that as her cue to motion to the other security guards to begin moving the Premier and his campaign staff away from the front of the building and to the waiting cars. She stood at the bottom of the steps of the bus whilst Kevan and the rest of the team boarded.

 

 

 

Kevan was irritable and tired when he finally took a seat behind with his laptop in the booth at the back of the bus. Really, he knew he should have sat with the press team whilst they edited footage of Joffrey’s meet and greets and speeches into social media clips, but by this point, he was fed up of hearing his own words come out of the young man’s mouth and needed some time to himself.

“Are you working on something top secret, or can I join you for a bit?”

Tamren was hovering in view in the aisle and looking uncertain. Somehow the need to be away from everyone didn’t quite extend to her and Kevan motioned to his guard to sit.

“Tam, I just had you stand in on a private meeting. Watching me type up a report on it is hardly an issue – though very boring, I’m sure.”

“Happy for me to distract you for a while instead then?” she asked.

“Always,” he replied before he’d thought about. Tamren didn’t comment but slid into the seat opposite him.

“Thank you, for earlier,” she said and Kevan shrugged it off with a smile.

“I think it’s your colleague who should be thanking me. I’m not sure Mr Blackwater would have survived another encounter with you. And if he had, I’d have fired him on the spot.”

“He’s infuriating but harmless,” Tamren replied. Kevan wasn’t quite sure he agreed with that but didn’t say anything. “But I’ll be grateful for hopefully not having to see him anymore by the end of this job,” she added and that was certainly a sentiment he could sympathise with.

“Gods I’ll glad when this election’s over. I might take an early retirement at this rate,” he said as the bus pulled onto the motorway and the countryside of the Reach slid past the windows.

He waited for her to crack a joke at his expense regarding his age but Tamren just gave him a thoughtful look.

“Surely you’ll end up with a ministerial position? I’m pretty sure nothing gets done without you around.”

She had a point. In fact, it was something he and Tywin had discussed a few times, but nothing had been decided yet as they had to be cautious about appointing too many Lannister names to the cabinet office and Tywin would be taking up an official role.

“Probably,” he agreed. “Though I’d rather follow Lancel’s advice and go on a trip somewhere warm. Maybe I’ll take an extended holiday and travel a while.”

Tamren did laugh at that. “I’m struggling to imagine you sitting on a beach somewhere without your laptop and a phone, trying to fix someone else’s screw-up.”

“I have been known to take a day off once in a while,” Kevan said pointedly.

“I seem to remember it took some persuasion,” Tamren replied with a look that left him smiling at the memory of their day together. It felt like so long ago after everything that had happened since.

“Well, perhaps I’ll need to employ a guard to come with me and ensure I actually take some time off. That and make sure no one tries to cut it short with an assassination attempt.”

“Is that a job offer?” Her tone was still light but Kevan felt like neither of them was quite teasing any more.

“If you wanted it,” he said cautiously. “Though if we win, more likely you’d just end working here at Parliament still and I’m sure you’ll have much more interesting work lined up than that. If we lose, it’ll be more of the same with the company.”

“If you lose the election then none of this is up to me and it’ll be back to Braavos,” she said with a shrug. Kevan hated how resigned she was to the decision being out of her hands.

“What would you do, if you lose?” she asked.

“I suppose I’ll go back home – or, well, to Casterly rock at least.”

It hadn’t really felt like home for a long while, he thought. Not since things had gone south with Dorna and certainly not since Lancel had left for his travels. He wasn’t sure he really did wish to return but he’d not been in Kings Landing long enough to truly feel at peace there either. Though the routine and familiarity of it - along with certain other things - made the thought of staying more appealing, Kevan found considering the end of the campaign left him feeling despondent.

“Where is home for you?” he asked quietly, conscious that though everyone else on the bus was pre-occupied, the two of them were not alone.

Tamren paused for a moment, her expression distant, and Kevan thought she wasn’t going to answer. Then she gave him a rueful smile.

“If I knew the answer to that, I probably wouldn’t have ended up in this mess in the first place.”

If they’d been alone in that moment, Kevan knew he would probably have rounded the table and wrapped her in his arms. Instead, he sat lost for words and held her gaze as she laughed uncomfortably and looked away, fidgeting with the cuffs of her suit jacket.

“Tam -” he started awkwardly, unsure what he wanted to say, before he was rescued by her cutting him off.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. None of it’s up to me. I just go where I’m told. ” She rose from her seat, still avoiding his eye. “I’ll let you get back to work.”

Kevan nearly stood with her but she was already making her way back down the aisle towards the driver and he got the impression she might need some time alone.

 

 

 

Tamren only saw glimpses of Kevan over the next few days as she escorted Tywin between meetings. Every time she did, she regretted walking away from him on the bus, perhaps even more than she regretted not kissing him that night. It seemed every time they met at the moment, one of them managed to make things strained and awkward, but with all the angry, uncomfortable tension between Jamie and Brienne in the security office, Tamren found she’d rather take the risk of putting her foot in it with Kevan than sit through another moment of the two of them sniping at each other.

She didn’t think she could convince Brienne to change any more of her shifts – it would look far too suspicious and, when she wasn’t fuming about Jamie, her friend had already asked her more than a few questions about what had happened in the gym when Kevan had confronted Bronn. No, if she wanted to speak to him again, Tamren knew she was going to have to find another way of seeing Kevan.

She was still weighing up the most subtle way of getting some time with him when, at early evening, she hurriedly left her room to meet Tywin for a security escort across town. He had a meeting scheduled with a wealthy potential donor and sometime advisor to the party and Tamren was already running a couple of minutes behind schedule.  

As she entered the lobby, she was surprised to see Kevan stood waiting by the security desk, dressed in a smart black suit she’d not seen him wear before. When he glanced up from his conversation with the security guard behind the desk, he looked equally as surprised, though happy to see her.

“Evening, Sir,” she said, halting beside him.

“Were you assigned to Tywin for tonight?” Kevan asked and she gave him a nod. “Ahh, right. Change of plans. Tywin has been called into another meeting – I’m standing in.”

She tried not to look too pleased about it as he moved away from the security desk and headed for the glass doors of the lobby.

“Just you tonight?” he asked, falling into step close beside her before Tamren even had to take up her usual position at his side.

“Two guards have gone on ahead to the hotel restaurant but I’m assigned directly to you. I wasn’t told anything more than it’s meant to be a very low-key meeting?”

Kevan nodded as they headed out to the waiting car.

“Correct. Ms Meya Torrent is chief executive of an energy company and has been a party donor in the past. I believe she has consulted with Tywin previously, so this should be a relatively straightforward meeting.”

The night sky was dark, the moon hidden behind a bank of cloud that, as usual, was threatening to soak them and Tamren was grateful to get out of the cold wind when she slid into the back seat beside Kevan.

They chatted companionably on the ride over, both sticking to the safe subjects of work and their colleagues whilst the driver skilfully avoided late evening traffic. As they neared the hotel, Tamren rang ahead to speak to the guards already in place, and once satisfied everything was secure, escorted Kevan into the lobby of the building.

They were directed through the restaurant by a smiling, suited concierge and to a private balcony overlooking the city park. Winding plants climbed the gold framework of a canopy that shielded the guests from the weather and some subtly placed heat lamps kept out the chill of the air. Seated at the small table in the centre of the space was a tall, auburn haired woman, dressed in an elegant black dress, cut low in the front and even lower in the back. Tamren found it difficult not to stare – she was one of the most stunning women she had ever seen.

She rose gracefully and stepped towards Kevan, meeting him at the entrance and clasping his hands between her own whilst Tamren took up a sentry position against the railings that would give her a view of both dinner guests and the entrance to the restaurant.

“Mr Lannister, good evening,” Meya said, greeting Kevan with a kiss to both cheeks. Tamren thought she saw a flash of disappointment cross the other woman’s features before it was artfully concealed behind a poised smile. “I thought it was Tywin I was meeting?” she enquired.

If Kevan noticed her slight slip, he did not react.

“My brother sends his most sincere apologies. I’m afraid he has been called away to an urgent meeting,” he replied politely. 

“No matter, you are a more than adequate replacement,” Meya replied. Tamren noted she hadn’t taken her hands off his, instead leading Kevan to the table. “Shall we order a drink?”

They sat and exchanged pleasantries whilst they waited for their wine to arrive. Meya was quick to laugh at Kevan’s jokes and complemented him several times on how well the campaign was progressing. Tamren, as ever watching from the corner of her eye and keeping one ear on the conversation at the table whilst she surveyed the entrance to the balcony, observed the way Kevan settled into the conversation – swiftly moving it onto business. It seemed Ms Torrent was considering a position as a consultant for the government and Kevan seemed keen to hear her thoughts on energy policy matters.

As the evening progressed, more than once Kevan steered the conversation back onto safer ground, deflecting questions about campaign tactics and spending in as artfully polite a manner as she had ever heard from him, always following up with a compliment or an enquiry in Meya’s direction. Tamren realised up until this point she had mostly watched Kevan the hard-nosed businessman getting to grips with complex negotiations. This was Kevan the politician, all charm and grace as they danced around the topic of a donation to the party.

They were drawing to the end of the meal, Meya sipping at the last of her wine and Kevan swilling his slowly in the glass. Neither of them had drunk more than a couple of glasses and Tamren could almost feel the tension as they both went back and forth trying to draw more information out of the other. Tamren couldn’t help feeling uncomfortably impressed as she watched the other woman. She was every bit as poised and intelligent as she was beautiful and Kevan was clearly enjoying her company.

It seemed Meya hadn’t quite got the assurances she wanted yet about investment in energy and Kevan was being cagey about giving too much away – Tamren found the cautious sparring exhausting to watch. She thought Kevan might be reaching the end of his patience as well as he glanced briefly at his watch and set his glass down on the table.

“Will you be remaining in Kings Landing for long?” he asked and Tamren got the impression he was bringing proceedings to a close.

She was watching a group of business men somewhat drunkenly filter out of the restaurant, keeping an eye on the boisterous backslapping as they went, so Tamren didn’t see what Meya’s expression was when she replied.

“Unfortunately not  – I am exceptionally busy currently. Something I’m sure you can understand.”

She turned back in time to see Kevan give her one of his sympathetic smiles and Tamren felt her jaw clench. Watching the two of them chatting away like this was fast becoming distinctly unenjoyable.

“Indeed. I believe we still have some final technicalities to iron out though,” he replied.

Ms Torrent paused for a long moment and Tamren saw her cast Kevan a considered look before she sipped her wine.

“Why don’t we continue our discussion somewhere a little more private?”

Tamren tightened her stance and tried to force her attention away from the dinner table.

“I believe I have a few hours free tomorrow afternoon if you would like me to book in a meeting at the Keep?” Kevan replied evenly and Tamren found her attention wandering back to him again.

Meya gave him a coy smile and finished her wine before reaching across the table for him. Kevan didn’t react but his gaze did drop briefly to her hand as it rested on his sleeve. Tamren had waited all week to be re-assigned to Kevan, but as she watched Meya run a perfectly manicured finger over his arm, she found herself wishing she was anywhere else.

“If you would care to accompany me upstairs, I think we could come to an agreement that would be mutually satisfying.”

Tamren felt the pain in her head wound pulsing uncomfortably, her jacket was too tight and all she could think about was how she should have kissed him when she’d had the chance.

Kevan didn’t move, a small smile playing about his features that left Tamren feeling deeply uncomfortable. Surely he wouldn’t take Meya up on the offer? He’d been so cautious and hesitant about touching her the other night and yet here he sat, apparently completely comfortable with this woman’s advances. Tamren truly couldn’t bear the thought of having to escort him up to her room.

When he didn’t immediately respond, Meya rose from her chair.

“I’m going to step away for a moment. Why don’t you take some time to consider my offer and see if it’s to your liking?”

She turned slowly and walked away, heading for the ladies' room. Tamren watched Kevan’s gaze follow her from the balcony and then suddenly his eyes met her own.

 

 

 

He’d thought that when he looked over to her, he would have been greeted with a smirk or a roll of the eyes. But the usual hint of mischief that he’d expected to find, was missing from Tamren’s gaze and Kevan felt an odd sense of discomfort when a second later she looked away from him.

It had become clear quite early on into dinner exactly what Ms Torrent had in mind and however tactical it might be on her part, it was hard not to appreciate the attention she was focusing on him. Besides, she was a wealthy and influential donor, it was important he won her over – even if that did mean politely accepting advances he would have usually brushed off as gently as possible.

Meya returned to the table before he could try to get Tamren’s attention and Kevan rose from his chair as she made her way back to him.

“So, have you reached a decision?” she asked, reaching for his tie and straightening it out. As her fingers brushed against his clothes, Kevan was immediately reminded of the way Tamren’s hands had felt on him the other night. He cleared his throat awkwardly and took a step back.

“It has been a wonderful evening, but I’m afraid I’ve had a very long day.”

“A pity,” Meya replied with a smile. “But you know where to find me, should you change your mind.”

She slipped a business card into the pocket of his suit.

“If you or Tywin are free for a meeting tomorrow to finalise things, then that would be wonderful.”

Kevan promised he would arrange something, returned her smile and placed as chaste a kiss as possible on the hand she held outstretched for him. He would definitely be passing that meeting off to Tywin.

The walk back to the waiting cars was awkward, to say the least. Tamren kept her distance behind him, the two other guards joining her a few steps further back as he quickly descended the steps of the hotel, the chill night air making him shiver.

For a moment, as she spoke to the guards and lingered outside of the vehicle, Kevan thought Tamren wasn’t going to join him the back of the car and then eventually she slid in beside him without meeting his eye, shutting the door heavily.

As the engine rumbled into life, Kevan leant back in his seat and gave a heavy sigh of relief. He glanced over at his guard, expecting her to at least make a joke at the situation. Instead, she sat rigid, gaze fixed out of the window.

“Well, that wasn’t quite how I had expected the evening to go – apologies,” he said quietly as the car pulled away.

“You have nothing to apologise for, Sir. It’s none of my business who you decide to, well . . .”

She had started brusquely, but by the time she trailed off with a shrug, Tamren sounded despondent. She still wasn’t looking at him and Kevan felt the discomfort in his chest grow along with the tension in the car.

“Don’t feel you have to say no on my account,” she said eventually and Kevan frowned.

“Excuse me?” he asked in confusion. Tamren finally did glance over at him at that, a tight, forced smile on her face.

“I’ll ensure another guard is assigned to you for the next meeting if my presence is the issue. I’m sure -”

He cut her off, appalled at the suggestion. He’d never considered that she might actually think he wanted to leave with Ms Torrent.

“Tamren, I’m not quite sure what I’ve done to give you the impression I am the type of man to take a woman to bed whom I have only just met, but I can assure you I had no intention of doing so.”

“What about after a second meeting?” Tamren joked, though her tone was without humour. He scowled back at her.

“I certainly do not sleep with women who may very well be joining the government’s consultative team. It would be completely unethical, I would never -”

Tamren raised a hand, her expression suddenly chagrined.

“I’m not questioning your integrity, Kevan,” she said quickly. “I’m just saying, she’s a very accomplished, beautiful woman, who is clearly interested in you and if me being around is somehow an issue then -”

“I do not engage in casual relationships,” he cut in firmly. Tamren quieted at that, an odd expression playing around her eyes as she looked over at him. “Besides, it’s not me that she’s interested in – it’s my position and access to the Premier,” he added, trying to break the tension.

“Why would you think that?”

The car turned a sharp corner and Kevan saw the light of passing street lamps wash over her features through the tinted window. She looked genuinely confused and he gave her a wry smile.

“Because over the years I have learned that people always want something from me other than, well, me.”

“That’s not true, I . . .” Tamren stopped short, suddenly worrying at her lower lip with her teeth as she looked away from him.

Kevan held his breath waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t speak any further, he tried to fill the awkward silence, forcing himself to sound as casual as possible. “Besides, judging by how disappointed she was to see me, I’m sure it’s my brother she wants, not me.”

Tamren was still staring out of the window when she gave a quiet, derisive laugh and shook her head.

“Well I’m sure if she does get the opportunity to work with you, she’ll see you’re twice the man your brother is.”

Kevan sat in stunned silence, struggling to find the words for an adequate response, but none came to mind and Tamren continued to focus on the city flashing past outside the window. For the rest of the drive, he sat awkwardly beside her, painfully aware of every beat of his heart and cursing the presence of the driver that stopped him reaching across the short distance between them for her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has proven very difficult to write and comments are always greatly appreciated.


	14. Chapter 14

By day three of the riots, Tamren was sat exhausted and despairing in the security office break room, barely listening as a rolling news report on the screen showed images of angry crowds facing off against police to a backdrop of burning barricades. She didn’t need the reporter to tell her Kings Landing was on fire when she could still smell the smoke lingering on her clothes from escorting the Premier across town hours ago.

The initial protests had been small – just a few hundred committed activists who had marched to Parliament expressing solidarity with the five Iron Islander staff members who had been fired. Their numbers had swelled when Joffrey, in a fit of anger and without either Tywin or Kevan’s permission, had ordered the police to physically remove protestors. Suddenly it wasn’t just Iron Islanders on the streets, but young men and women from all across the country, outraged at the heavy-handedness of the state. They had marched and chanted and camped out in the main square, shutting down roads and disrupting normal life in a way that drew out counter-protests from anti-Iron Islander groups.

For a day, it had seemed like the protest and counter-protests were wearing each other down to the point where the police barely needed to step in - and then the body of Mr Dagmer had been discovered in his cell at Kings Landing central police station and things had really kicked off.

Tamren glanced over at the TV, watching as an image of Kevan marching out of the command centre of Kings Landing central police station played across the screen. He was grim faced but had his head held high despite the shouting of the crowd. Whilst many in the media were questioning Joffrey, as the most high profile member of staff organising the response to the riots, Kevan seemed to be bearing the brunt of most of the criticism.

“And as the protests continue for another day, many are asking, what will the Baratheon campaign do next?” the reporter continued as the footage cut to another angle and Tamren caught a glimpse of Meryn Trant amongst other guards holding a car door open for Kevan and giving him a nod as he ducked into the back seat. That had been a couple of hours ago and she still hadn’t seen him since to ask how he was doing.

“Tamren, Podrick, you’re up.”

Tamren looked over to the scowling figure of Brienne Tarth who was stood in the doorway of the security office. The head of government security had been on edge for days, she and Jamie barely speaking to each other in the fall out from the suspect’s death. The official verdict – currently being questioned by the media – was that it had been a suicide and Jamie was adamant he’d had nothing to do with it, but either way, Brienne didn’t seem content to forgive him any time soon.

Not wanting to keep her harried friend waiting, Tamren rose from her seat, joined a moment later by Podrick Payne who was looking sterner than usual. Everyone was exhausted after days of being on high alert.

“Tywin and Kevan have an emergency meeting with the Iron Bank. Please meet the Bank’s party in the lobby,” Brienne said as they drew alongside her.

Tamren tensed at her words. The knowledge she would have to see her employer Tycho Nestoris again leaving her with a hollow sense of dread. She kept her expression carefully neutral - she didn’t need to pile any further stress on the head of security with everything else that was going on. At least it might provide an opportunity to catch up with Kevan, she thought. Their chances to talk about anything other than work had been few and far between since returning from the uncomfortable dinner meeting days ago.

Podrick turned to leave and Tamren fell into step beside him, grateful they had been assigned on together. They made their way to the lobby as quickly as possible, weaving amongst the worried looking staff rushing between meeting rooms. It seemed everyone was struggling to contain the fallout from the protests.

 

 

 

 

Kevan glanced at his watch and tapped his pen against the hard wood of the desk, waiting impatiently for the delegation from the Bank to arrive. The emergency meeting couldn’t be anything good, he knew and he was keen to get the matter dealt with as quickly as possible so he could return to managing the more pressing situation unfolding in the streets outside of the Keep.

Beside him, Tywin ground his teeth and straightened out his tie. The two of them rose at the same time as the faint sounds of footsteps filtered through the thick glass of the room and then there was a sharp rap at the door.

“Enter,” Tywin barked.

It was Tamren who opened the door, and Kevan caught her eye for a moment as she held the door for the Financiers filing in past her. She was looking sombre and alert, but otherwise well and Kevan was pleased to note how quickly her head injury was healing.

She gave him a nod and a brief flash of a smile before closing the door behind them and then Kevan turned his attention to the men now filling the room. Tycho Nestoris stood closest and Kevan gave the Banker a tight handshake. It was the first he’d seen of the unsavoury man since discovering Tamren’s predicament with the Bank and Kevan found it difficult to return the financier’s smile.

A few hours later he found himself even more incensed with the man as they came to the conclusion of their talks. The Bank had made it very clear that they no longer had faith in Joffrey’s campaign following the escalation of violence in the capital and that, unless the situation was rapidly resolved, they would be pulling their financial support.

Tamren was still outside and stood at attention against the wall when he finally left the meeting room. Kevan, tense and frustrated, glanced over his shoulder briefly - Tywin was still in discussion with Nestoris about something, the two of them focused on each other and apparently uninterested in anything else, so he made his way to Tamren who relaxed a little as he approached.

“How are you doing?” she asked, voice low as he stopped beside her. The question caught Kevan off guard and he felt a sudden, sharp tug of affection for her. He’d intended to see how she was fairing given they hadn’t been granted much time to speak and he knew just how difficult the last few days had been for everyone within the Government’s staff, but the security team in particular.

He self-consciously ran a hand through his grey hair, wondering just how tired he was looking to prompt the question from her. “As well as can be expected,” he replied, trying to sound more upbeat than he felt.

Tamren gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know the feeling,” she said, then her expression tightened and for a second Kevan wasn’t sure why, until Nestoris stepped up beside him.

“If I might borrow Ms Rivers for a few moments? There is something we need to discuss,” the Banker cut in. His tone was icy and piercing, leaving Kevan with a sense of foreboding on his guard’s behalf.

Kevan looked to Tamren who seemed to be weighing up her options and for a moment, he wondered if she might refuse her employer’s request.

“Of course,” Tywin responded from behind him before Tamren had a chance to speak, making the decision for her. “Ms Rivers, please meet me at my office when you are done,” his brother continued, sounding completely disinterested by the whole situation.

Kevan tensed and glanced over his shoulder to see Tywin turn on his heel, clearly expecting Kevan to follow. Instead, he paused for a moment as Nestoris disappeared back into the meeting room with a sharp look to Tamren. She was frowning, her jaw set and shoulders squared in a way that Kevan now recognised clearly as her being nervous. He leant closer to her.

“I can stay, if you want me to?” he suggested quietly.

He hadn’t intended to make the offer but the words were out of him before he could stop them. For a brief moment, Tamren looked taken aback and he thought she was going to agree, then the spark of defiant frustration was back in her eyes and she shook her head.

“It’s fine, I can handle it,” she said firmly.

 

 

 

 

Kevan was giving her a wary look and for a moment Tamren thought he was going to insist on remaining with her. She didn’t think she’d turn down his offer of support again.

“Kevan?” Tywin enquired, brusquely.

She glanced away from him at the same time as he turned to acknowledge his brother. Tywin was watching them closely, a look of distinct displeasure on his face that made Tamren more uncomfortable than even the thought of the impending conversation with Nestoris did.

She took the moment of distraction to slip into the meeting room, avoiding meeting Kevan’s eye as she left him with his irritable brother.

The financier was stood rigid and waiting for her when she stepped into the glass room, his back to the desk the group of men had been seated around. His lip curled when he spotted her.

“The payment is late,” Nestoris snarled through a thin, dangerous smile. “How much more interest exactly did you wish you accrue, Ms Rivers?”

Tamren frowned in confusion. Late? That wasn’t possible. She was holding up her end of the bargain just by being here. It couldn’t be late.

“I’m here, I’m working for you - that was the agreement. There’s no payment for me to be late on,” she argued but a spark of sudden fear had burst into life at the back of her mind. It was stoked further as Nestoris’s smile dropped away and his gaze became piercing.

“The other payment,” he replied.

Tamren felt like a weight had dropped into her stomach. He meant Tom’s payments.

She swallowed hard and tightened her stance, refusing to let this man see the fear that had opened up inside her.

“How late,” she asked around a sudden constriction in her throat. She tried to recall the last time she’d spoken to her brother and couldn’t put her finger on it. It would have been months ago, which wasn’t exactly unusual, he moved around a lot looking for work. But in the midst of everything going on in the capital, she realised she had barely even tried to contact him and felt a pang of guilt and worry bubble up inside her.

“Two weeks,” Nestoris replied, pronouncing each word precisely so they seemed to hang in the cool air of the room. “Of course, if you had bothered to keep up with the regular check-ins with me that we had agreed at the beginning of your job here, then you would know that. As it stands Ms Rivers, I’m afraid you have breached the terms of your current contract -”

“I can get the money,” Tamren cut in. She couldn’t, not really, but she would find a way.

Nestoris’ teeth sparkled back at her as he gave her a smile.

“Of course you can. In fact, I am generously going to allow you to extend your contract to cover the interest. Once this utterly foolish campaign is complete, you will return to Braavos immediately and continue your service with us.”

Tamren clenched her fists at her side and swallowed hard.

“For how long?” she ground out.

“As long as I require,” Nestoris replied.

 

She’d been on autopilot when she made it to Tywin’s office and relived the guard there. She had a couple of hours left on shift and they seemed to drag into days as she stood sentry in the corridor, worry dragging her down and dulling her senses until all she could think about was the weight of the debt. When she eventually finished her shift, Tamren made her way to the security office without thinking. She couldn’t bring herself to return to her room and face being on her own any longer. Better to sit and deal with Jamie and Brienne’s rowing or try and find more work to do.

When she made it to the office, it was just Brienne there, sat behind her computer, the news reports still going round in the background. She was bathed in the dim blue light of the screen and looked up as Tamren entered. Tamren saw her eyebrows rise as she fell into the seat opposite her friend.

“Gods you look worse than you did earlier. Have you only just left the meeting?”

Tamren shook her head, struggling to fight back the overwhelming sense of sick dread that Nestoris had left her with.

Brienne was frowning at her now. “What is it?”

It didn’t seem fair to burden her with this, Tamren thought, not with everything else that was going on. This was her problem to face, not anyone else’s.

“Just an issue with Nestoris, that’s all,” she said eventually.

Brienne was still watching her carefully but her expression softened somewhat.

“Work related or something else?” she asked. Tamren’s head snapped up at that. She felt her gut twist uncomfortably. Did Brienne know? She wasn’t sure at this point if having someone else to speak to was a relief or just another concern.

She started to speak, wary of where this might be leading, then stopped at the sound of a soft knock on the door. She glanced over her shoulder just as Kevan entered. He looked as tired as he had earlier but managed a brief smile in her direction as he stepped into the room.

“Jamie’s not here right now,” Brienne offered to him, still glancing over at Tamren with a concerned look. “But I can run through a security update if you need one, Sir?”

Tamren watched as Kevan shook his head. “Actually, I’m here to see Ms Rivers,” he said quietly.

 

 

 

 

Kevan watched as Tamren’s expression wavered somewhere between surprise and relief and he felt more certain that he had done the right thing in seeking her out. Something about her reaction when Nestoris had called her into the meeting room had left him certain that all was not well and even with everything else to worry about, he’d found his thoughts wandering back to her throughout the rest of the afternoon.

“Oh, right. Well, I’ll be back in a bit then,” Brienne replied awkwardly, rising from her seat behind the desk and making her way from the room.

Once the door had closed behind her, Kevan took a step towards Tamren. He could see the stress and worry written plainly across her features and knew it mirrored his own.

“What happened?” he asked.

For a brief, awful moment, she looked so lost she seemed on the verge of tears and Kevan wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself in response. Then she laughed bitterly and threw up her hands, rising from her seat and beginning to pace across the carpet – moving to distract herself, he thought.

“The Bank’s extending my contract. Nestoris . . . he doesn’t think you can win and I’m . . . my brother, he’s behind on some payments – I haven’t seen him . . .”

She was rambling, words tumbling out in a rush that left it difficult to piece together exactly what had happened but Kevan got the gist of it as she continued back and forth across the carpet, eyes anywhere but on him.

“That bastard’s changing the terms and I’m stuck -”

“Tam,” Kevan tried, hoping to catch her attention but she continued her strides, turning on her heel sharply and making her way across the room, still talking.

“Gods this is a mess, and I don’t know where Tom is or what he’s doing or -”

“Tamren-”

“I don’t know what to do . . . I don’t know how to fight this, I -”

Kevan stepped in front of her, intending to place his hands on her shoulders to halt her pacing. Instead, she was moving so intently that she collided with his chest with a soft thump and instinctively his arms went around her to steady her.

 

 

 

 

Tamren knew she should pull away but everything that had felt so overwhelming – the row, the fear, the sense of helplessness – was now suddenly pushed aside by the solid feel of him. She took a breath and caught the scent of a freshly laundered shirt coupled with a woody, old fashioned cologne and something she’d come to recognise as so unmistakably _him_. As Kevan’s arms wrapped around her body, Tamren felt a sense of relief wash over her. She closed her eyes and sank into him.

For a moment he just held her, one hand running soothingly across the tense muscles of her back. Then he spoke, voice low, the words reverberating through his chest in a way she could feel in her own.

“I do,” he said and Tamren wasn’t entirely sure what he meant. She didn’t particularly care so long as he didn’t let go of her. “Get me a copy of the contract,” he continued. “I’ll take a look at it. In fact, I’ll have the company lawyers look it over.”

Tamren drew her head away sharply from where it was resting against his shoulder.

“I can’t ask you to do that, I -” she started, remembering his words on the way back from the dinner a few nights ago. She would not be another person in his life seeking something from him. He didn’t need to be worrying about this right now – not with everything else that was going on.

“You’re not asking - I’m offering,” Kevan replied firmly.

To her surprise, he didn’t release his hold on her, instead giving her a sad smile as he held her gaze.

“This country’s a mess, everything’s going to hell and Seven help us, I don’t know how to fix any of this,” Kevan said and Tamren could hear the strain in his voice as he spoke. “But I can do this for you. Let me help you, Tam. Please?”

Tamren let her head fall back to his shoulder, resting against him for a moment so he wouldn’t see how overwhelmed she was by his offer.

“Besides,” she heard him say, his words murmured close to her ear. “If you’re not able to come with me on my extended holiday at the end of all of this, then who else am I meant to take as a guard? Meryn Trant?”

 

 

 

 

This wasn’t what he had intended at all when he’d come looking for her, but as Kevan felt Tamren’s quiet laughter give way to a sigh against him, he tightened his hold on her and let his head rest against her own. At this point, he wasn’t sure who was benefiting the most from the moment alone together, but he could feel his own tension draining away as she wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Is that a yes then?” he asked and felt her nod in response. He knew she was too proud to be comfortable shedding tears in front of him but he’d seen the shine in her eyes before she had ducked her head so he didn’t ask her anything further, not wanting to push her to speak.

They stood in silence together for a few minutes before Kevan glanced over at the clock. It was getting late and Miss Tarth would likely be returning soon. He’d taken up enough of their time and Tywin was expecting him in his office.

“I should go,” he suggested quietly, reluctantly releasing his hold on the warm body of his guard.

“Right,” Tamren agreed brusquely, running a quick hand over her face before she looked up at him. Kevan couldn’t help but smile at the way she straightened up and squared her shoulders, all business again despite the two of them clinging to each other only moments before.

“You’re a good man, Kevan,” she said as he turned towards the door.

Kevan paused a moment. There was still so much he had to deal with before he could even think about resting for the night, but Tamren was watching him intently and more than anything he wished he could stay with her.

“You might be the only person left in this country who thinks so at the moment,” he replied before finally making his way from the room.

 

Tywin was surveying the city through his enormous office window when Kevan let himself in. His brother had his back to him, barely registering his arrival. Kevan watched the flashing searchlight of a helicopter sweep across the horizon and listened to the muffled sounds of sirens drifting up to them.

“I’m calling off the talks in the Iron Islands,” Tywin stated without turning. Kevan frowned and strode across the room to stand with his brother.

“Ty, those talks are the last hope we have of resolving this peacefully,” he warned. The summit had been a point of contention ever since the outbreak of the protests – Tywin adamant that any sign of compromise would be taken as weakness.

“We’ve had a tip off that the Separatists are planning an assassination attempt,” his brother replied without emotion. “The whole thing was a pointless exercise. They’ve already stated there will be no cessation in violence until they are given their independence. I’m putting an end to this. It’s time to send in the military.”

Kevan felt his hopes fall at his brother’s words.

“Ty, that won’t end this, you know that -”

“Then what else would you suggest?” Tywin shouted, voice full of barely controlled fury as he finally turned to face Kevan. Kevan stood his ground, watching his brother’s lip curl in anger. This had all gone too far, too many people had been hurt and Kevan knew many more would be if they didn’t do something drastic and quickly. There had to be another way.

“So grant it to them,” he said, a sudden thought forming in his mind and quickly beginning to spiral into a plan of sorts.

“What?” his brother spat in apparent horror.

“I mean, grant them a vote of independence,” Kevan clarified. Tywin’s anger did not look remotely assuaged by Kevan’s words, his face an image of contempt at the suggestion.

“And risk losing control of the region? Kevan, have you completely lost your mind? The moment they gain independence, Dorne will be rising up, then the North – we’ll lose the whole country within a year!”

Kevan watched his brother pace back and forth in his office like a tiger in a cage. If he kept going much longer he was going to wear a hole in the carpet in much the same way Kevan could feel his patience for the whole argument was thinning.

“At the last poll, less than forty percent of the region supported an independence movement and that’s barely risen during the protests. The people of the islands, they don’t want this violence any more than we do. We should promise them the vote as a condition of winning the election – a peace offering. And then we let the separatists make their assassination attempt,” Kevan said finally.

Tywin stood silent for a moment, apparently weighing up his words. In the background, another wailing siren went up and a fire engine flashed past somewhere in the street below. Kevan waited patiently for his brother’s response, a sudden certainty filling him that he could fix this, that they had a chance to make this right.

“We allow them to show themselves for the thugs they are,” Tywin replied eventually and Kevan nodded in agreement.

“We have the upper hand as we know what’s coming. The attempt will fail, but the message it sends – that will see us through the vote.”

Tywin turned away from the window, striding to his desk and reaching for his laptop.

“I need to think on this awhile,” he said tersely. “We’ll meet again tomorrow with Jamie to consider this properly.”

Kevan knew that was as close as he was going to get to an acknowledgment that he was right from his brother, but for now, it was enough. He left with a sense of hope he hadn’t felt in days.

 

 

 

 

Tamren and Brienne glanced back and forth at each other, frowning in confusion as they waited to be called into Tywin’s office. They’d both been on other duties around the Keep that afternoon when Tamren had received a message from Jamie ordering her over to his father’s wing without explanation and when she’d run into Brienne along the way, the head of security had no further information to offer.

She knew she should probably be more concerned about what was going on but having attempted to contact her brother the previous night and having not yet received a reply, Tamren found the whole situation only left her with a nervous tension that made her irritable more than anything.

The door opened and Jamie ushered them in. He offered a smile to them both which Brienne coolly ignored and Tamren couldn’t find it in her to reciprocate. She felt her tension ease somewhat though at the sight of Kevan waiting for them alongside his brother in the centre of the room. He seemed more energised than she had seen him in a long while, though there was something of a sombre mood in the air.

“Good afternoon,” Kevan greeted them as Tamren came to a halt before the two older Lannister men. Despite his smile, something about this whole set up was starting to really make her feel uneasy.

“We are here to discuss the summit with Councillor Greyjoy in the Iron Islands,” Tywin started as Jamie shut the door behind them. “As you know there have been some concerns regarding them going ahead and yesterday, Jamie received word that the separatist movement are planning an assassination attempt on the delegate attending from the Government.”

Somehow, Tamren didn’t think they’d been called here to discuss the cancellation of the trip. Something wary began to uncoil in the back of her mind as Jamie took over speaking from his father.

“I’ve had three separate sources confirm that the movement have plans to make an attempt during the talks themselves, which leads us to believe that they have people placed in the ranks of the Council staff. Now, with my spies in the movement and enough forward planning, we believe we can mitigate the threat.”

“Why not just move the talks to Kings Landing?” Brienne asked, mirroring the question plaguing Tamren’s mind.

“It is essential that the talks still go ahead and that the true, violent nature of the liberation movement be exposed to the voters,” Kevan replied.

“You’re seriously going to send the Premier into a trap?” Tamren asked in disbelief. No matter how much knowledge they had and how much preparation they did, they couldn’t be completely sure of keeping the Premier safe. Surely neither of them was willing to risk Joffrey’s life for the sake of a bit of good PR, she thought.

“Of course not,” Tywin scoffed at the ridiculous suggestion, giving her a look that suggested he thought she was simple. Tamren did her best not to scowl back at him.

“It’s not Joffrey who’ll be attending,” Kevan replied quietly, looking over to Tamren and holding her gaze.

“Then who is?” Brienne asked.

Tamren didn’t need to wait for an answer as she felt a cold wave of dread wash over her as she realised what they intended to do.

“Kevan will,” Tywin replied without emotion.

“Absolutely not!” Tamren cut in without thinking.

All eyes turned to her - Tywin’s a deep glower, Kevan’s wide in apparent surprise at her vehement intrusion.

“Excuse me?” Tywin growled.

She stood her ground. “You can’t do this.”

“Tamren - ” Kevan started to reply, but his brother got there first.

“You forget your place. Your opinion on this is not important, Ms Rivers.”

“And yours is ridiculous,” she said, anger flaring and overriding any self-preservation instinct that might have reminded her exactly who she was speaking to.

Tywin’s jaw twitched in fury. “Get out,” he ground out between gritted teeth.

Tamren felt the weight of each word ringing in her ears but she didn’t move, ignoring Tywin’s rage and the shocked stares of Brienne and Jamie and looking to Kevan instead. “Surely you’re not going to agree to this?” she asked him.

“Ms Rivers you have been asked to leave. If you speak again, I will fire you,” Tywin barked. Tamren didn’t take her eyes off Kevan.

“Please wait for me outside,” he said eventually, his voice low and controlled. Tamren bit back the angry response she wanted to throw at him and instead silently shook her head in disbelief.

 

 

 

 

Kevan watched as Tamren, white with anger, turned on her heel and stormed from the room, nearly slamming the door on the way out. All eyes turned to him now and Jamie gave an awkward cough as Kevan looked back to his brother. He had intended to re-start the conversation about the plan, but his mind had followed Tamren as she left, something nagging at him. He’d never seen her lose her cool like that.

“Just – give me a moment Ty,” he said, following Tamren’s path out of the room before his brother could reply.

She was pacing the corridor incessantly and glowering when he stepped out, shutting the door cautiously behind him. She rounded on him the moment she spotted him.

“What the fuck are you thinking?”

Kevan was taken aback by the raw note of dismay in her voice. She looked torn between furious and upset in a way that even after all the difficulty with Nestoris, he hadn’t seen on her before.

“Tamren – please remember what your job is here. I need your skills and your support on this, not your opinion,” he replied firmly, trying to push aside his own unease at the whole situation. He knew the risks and he had hoped she would be there to help with them.

“You are not doing this. I won’t have any part of putting you in danger.”

“I won’t be if you get your act together and help organise this,” he said too quickly, then took a breath, trying to reign in his own frustration as she glared daggers at him.

Kevin tried to placate her. “I have to do something to fix this mess and this is the best chance we have of holding this country together. It’s the only way, Tam.”

She shook her head.

“Anyone else could do this, it doesn’t have to be you,” she argued.

“It was my plan,” he admitted. “I can’t ask anyone else to do this.”

“And what if you get hurt?” she asked eventually, a note of fear plain in her voice.

Kevan sighed in frustration.

“I’m the insurance policy, I always have been,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Look, if it makes you feel more comfortable working on this, then I’ll set something up with the company lawyers in advance and get an agreement in place with Tywin to ensure your job is considered complete by the Bank whatever happens,” he offered, hoping that would be enough. But it didn’t seem to appease her at all. In fact, Kevan thought, as she took a step closer, if anything, she seemed angrier than before.

“What the hell are you talking about? This isn’t about the job or the debt - I couldn’t care less about it,” she said, a look of confusion taking over.

Kevan felt his patience give out. It had been too long a day already and he’d hoped Tamren’s presence would offer him some small comfort throughout the process, not yet another confrontation. He’d expected more professionalism from her than this at the very least.

“Then what is it?” he snapped, frustration getting the better of him.

“For Gods’ sake!” Tamren raged. “You, Kevan! I care about you!”

Kevan felt the frustration and anger drain away from him as he stood rooted to the spot by her words. He could feel his heart beating uncomfortably in his chest and the blood rushing in his ears.

The fight seemed to go out of Tamren as he watched. Her shoulders dropped and she spoke again, quieter this time. “How have you not realised that by now?”

It was only when she started to turn away that Kevan realised he had to do something and he finally moved, reaching out for her.

“Tam, wait, please.” He took her hand and she halted in her steps, gazing up at him in a way that made his chest hurt.

“Please don’t do this. I can’t . . .” she shut her eyes, and took a long breath. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Kevan started to draw her towards him. “Then help me, Tam. I need you.”

There was a soft click behind them and Kevan heard someone clear their throat, an apology spilling past their lips rapidly. He released Tamren’s hand immediately.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but your brother is requesting your presence and -”

“It’s fine, thank you Miss Tarth,” Kevan said sharply as Tamren took a step back from him and began retreating down the corridor. It took everything in him not to go after her but Brienne was hovering in the doorway and he knew he couldn’t keep his brother waiting any longer.

 

 

 

 

Tamren headed straight back to the security office to wait for Brienne’s return. If they were going to go ahead and plan this mess, then they could do it without her but she still felt she had to know what they decided on.

Around an hour later, Brienne appeared, only pausing for a second as her eyes fell on Tamren sat half slumped in the desk chair.

“I thought you might be here,” the head of security said, rounding the desk quickly and suddenly rooting around in a drawer for something.

“So, what’s this ridiculous, suicidal plan they’ve cooked up then?” Tamren asked, trying her best to sound more angry than miserable.

“We’ll get to that. First, we’re going to have a drink.” Brienne set a bottle of half-drunk whiskey down on the desk as she spoke. Tamren narrowed her eyes as Brienne poured out two glasses, necked one, swallowing with a shiver of disgust and then re-poured before pushing a tumbler towards her across the desk. Tamren had always presumed the bottle was Jamie’s as she’d never seen the usually straight laced head of security touch the stuff.

“And then,” Brienne continued, now sipping more carefully at her second glass. “You are going to explain what on earth that was all about.”

Tamren reached for the glass, swilling the amber liquid within it. She rarely drank alcohol and certainly never spirits, but if ever there was an occasion to do so, then this felt like it.

She didn’t reply for a moment, contemplating how much to admit to, then took a swallow of the whiskey, struggling not to cough as it burned its way down her throat.

“What is going on with you two?” Brienne asked, apparently interpreting her silence as a reluctance to speak.

Tamren shrugged. “Nothing,” she answered honestly, taking another sip. It went down a little easier this time.

Brienne rolled her eyes. “That didn’t look like nothing. It didn’t sound like it either.”

Tamren winced and felt embarrassment course through her. She supposed neither of them had been bothering to keep their voices down, it was inevitable the others would have heard her confession – even if Kevan himself seemed to have chosen not to acknowledge it.

“Besides, the two of you are completely obvious about it,” Brienne continued on as Tamren felt herself grow ever more despondent. The whiskey really wasn’t helping.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she mumbled pointlessly, taking another long swallow.

“Come off it, you’re always grinning at each other across the room and don’t even get me started on the way you both mope about when you’re not assigned on together,” Brienne replied with a small smile.

Tamren gave a short laugh that sounded bitter even to her own ears.

“Given how little I actually see of him at the moment, it feels more like he’s having me deliberately taken off his security detail,” she said.

Brienne looked suddenly guilty and Tamren felt like a weight had dropped into her stomach. So he had requested she be taken off his shifts.

“Actually . . . Oh Gods I really shouldn’t be telling you this . . .” Brienne started then trailed off and took a gulp of her drink.

“Telling me what?” Tamren asked slowly. The head of security looked distinctly uncomfortable and Tamren found herself leaning forward in her seat, sliding the glass back onto the desk as she waited for an answer.

Brienne gave a long sigh and shut her eyes for a moment, apparently contemplating something. When she opened them she gave Tamren a long, considered look.

“Tywin came to me a few weeks ago, he didn’t say why at the time - well I suppose that’s all rather obvious now, but . . . Tamren, it was Tywin who requested you be taken off Kevan’s security team.”

Tamren sat back in her seat, reaching for her drink once more and swallowing the last of the contents of the glass, her head spinning. If Tywin had asked for her to be reassigned, did that mean Kevan had said something to his brother about her?

“You were only there today because Kevan requested it. You should have seen the row after you left – Tywin wanted you fired.”

Tamren sat tense and contemplative for a minute, considering everything that had happened. In his own quiet way over the last few months, she knew Kevan had done so much for her - even without taking into consideration his offer yesterday.

Tamren felt her heart sink as she replayed their row over again in her head. He’d asked her for help and rather than do everything she could to support him, for her own selfish reasons she had tried to convince him to give up on his plan.

Brienne was giving her a sympathetic look from across the desk when she looked up. “What are you going to do?” she asked.

_Whatever it takes to keep him safe_ , Tamren thought.

“My job,” she replied, finally certain about something.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a Pinterest for this story because what I definitely needed was something else to distract me from actually writing. If you're interested at all, you can find it here - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jump_ship90/the-lions-guard/
> 
> Kind of got the pacing wrong across the last chapter, this one and the next, so there's a lot happening here. If you haven't read it recently, it might be worth re-capping the end of the last chapter before jumping into this one.

Kevan sat in his living room, barely listening to a word his brother was saying. He just kept running his thumb over the label of his beer bottle, replaying Tamren’s words in his mind and remembering the way she had looked at him. He’d spent weeks now trying to see through her joking and teasing in an attempt to discern if there was anything more to it, but there’d been no mistaking the sincerity in her voice when she’d confessed she cared about him.

“She needs to go,” Tywin was saying and Kevan gave a sigh of irritation. He was truly fed-up of this topic. Now that they had finally agreed to a plan of action for the Summit, his guard seemed to be all his brother wanted to discuss.

“Tamren is a committed professional -” he started wearily before he was cut off.

“Professional?” Tywin gave a sharp bark of a laugh and took a swallow of beer, leaning back into the sofa where they were sat beside one another. “She is rude, impetuous and over emotional.”

Kevan didn’t respond. Too many words in her favour and he knew he would confirm his brother’s suspicions that he had fallen hard for his bodyguard. And in fairness, he thought, that wasn’t an entirely unreasonable description of her behaviour.

“However, she is dedicated to you, clearly,” Tywin continued. Kevan did his best not to react to that. “I believe, given the circumstances, that keeping on a guard apparently so invested in your wellbeing may be advantageous.”

A useful tool, that was all his brother could see her as, and of course, why wouldn’t he? That was precisely how Kevan himself knew he should be viewing her. Just another employee, just another asset to be deployed as necessary for the good of the family and the country.

“I need to get some sleep, Ty,” he said eventually. Truly, he thought it was highly unlikely he would be able to rest, but he did want to be alone for a time.

Tywin rose from the sofa, straightening out his jacket. Kevan had long since taken his off, feeling stifled in his suit.

“Do not make the same mistake our father did, Kevan. We do not need a scandal right now. Affairs sink campaigns - affairs with staff sink careers.”

Kevan did his best to keep his expression carefully neutral at his brother’s warning but he couldn’t help but feel an unexpected flash of anger at the comparison.

He walked his brother to the door of his suite. Tywin clapped him on the shoulder companionably and gave him a wry smile, his usual dry humour shining through.

“You know we have a party donors dinner here at the Keep next week. If you survive this plan of yours, I’m sure I can introduce you to some rather more fitting prospects.”

That was about the last thing Kevan wanted, but he nodded, forced a smile and bid his brother goodnight.

He made his way back to the sofa, intending to clear up the empty bottles and turn in for the night. Instead he found himself sinking into the cushions and sitting back, his eyes falling closed for a moment whilst he considered his brother’s words.

Their father had taken a mistress after their mother had died – a scheming, gold-digger of a woman who had helped herself to the company credit card and done nearly as much to bankrupt them as their father’s poor business mind. Kevan felt his anger return the more he thought about it. Tamren was nothing like that woman, the two situations were hardly comparable! But he knew how much Tywin still hated their father’s mistress. He’d had her unceremoniously removed from the company’s comfortable headquarters almost immediately after their father had passed. The scandal had been in all the gossip rags for weeks. As much as the comparison riled him, Kevan rationalised Tywin was only looking out for him, for the family.

Kevan could feel a creeping sense of loneliness taking hold of him. He knew his brother would never accept the idea of he and Tamren together but he couldn’t bring himself to consider taking an interest in anyone else. Not when there was already someone in his life who knew him so well, who understood him, who cared . . .

He gave a heavy sigh of defeat. Tywin had always seemed to do just fine living as a perpetually single man since the loss of this wife, perhaps he could learn to do the same, Kevan considered.

He didn’t have long to dwell on his maudlin thoughts before he was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kevan frowned, then presuming Tywin had forgotten something, he rose and made his way over to answer it.

 

 

 

 

Tamren strode down the corridor, each footsteps becoming a little slower, a little heavier, as she steeled herself for the conversation ahead. She knew she had to do this, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. She owed him this much.

There was a guard some way down, a young man she knew only as Mr Swann. He gave her a brief smile as she continued past him and she returned it as best she could.

“Is he in?” she asked.

Swann gave a curt nod.

“Yeah. Tywin left a little while ago.”

_Thank the gods for that_ , she thought. The last thing she needed right now was to run into the older Lannister brother. She hated to think what their conversation had been about given everything Brienne had said.

Once they’d finished their drinks and Tamren had refused to talk any further about the situation with Kevan, Brienne had quickly moved on to the topic of the plan for the Summit. Apparently Jamie’s tip off had revealed that two men would be involved – one to cause the distraction, the other to target the delegate. The attempt was expected to come during the talks themselves leading them to believe the assassins would be hidden either amongst the Iron Island’s council staff or their security team. Either way, Jamie was doing his best to find out more from his sources without tipping off the Separatists that they were in on the plan. It was all incredibly risky and Tamren tried not to think about the potential consequences of things going wrong. Whatever happened, she would be there at Kevan’s side and she would do everything she could to ensure he walked out of there, safe and well with the vote secured.

Tamren halted in front of Kevan’s door. The slight buzz of the whiskey was beginning to fade in her veins and the edge of courage it had given her started to be replaced with a jagged sense of nerves that she hadn’t experienced around him since that night after the debate.

She knocked once sharply and waited for a response. For a moment she wondered if he might have gone to bed already and she almost walked away, regretting bothering him. Then she heard the lock click and a moment later the door swung open to reveal Kevan stood before her, a look of surprise lighting his features briefly.

He’d shed his jacket and tie, leaving the top button of his shirt undone and he’d rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. Tamren gave a slight swallow and tried to ignore the sudden surge of desire threatening to make her forget her carefully planned words. Gods he was handsome.

“Can we talk?” she asked quickly. Kevan didn’t reply but moved to one side, holding the door open for her to step inside.

As Tamren waited for him to shut the door behind her, she took in his living room. His discarded jacket was lying across the back of the sofa she’d fallen asleep upon weeks ago and there were a couple of empty beer bottles sat on the coffee table beside his laptop. She couldn’t help but smile despondently at that. It seemed they’d both had a similar evening.

There was a soft click and then Kevan appeared at her side.

“Did you want to take a seat?” he asked. He looked almost as uncertain as she felt, one hand running through his hair as he hovered beside her.

“No, I won’t stay long,” Tamren replied. Did he look a little disappointed at that? She pushed the thought aside. “Brienne explained everything and . . . well, I think it’s a good plan. As good as it can be. I mean, not exactly safe or . . .” she sighed, frustrated with herself for losing track of the carefully composed speech she’d had in mind. Kevan waited patiently for her to continue. “I just wanted to say, I understand why you need to do this. I’m here for you and I’ll do whatever I can to make this work. To keep you safe. If I still have a job, that is?”

He finally seemed to relax a little and gave a quiet laugh at that, shaking his head.

 

 

 

 

Kevan watched a sudden cloud of uncertainty pass over Tamren’s features and nearly took her hand again. She had made it clear it was him she was worried about rather than her position but still, he knew what this job meant to her.

“You do. Just about,” he replied. Tywin’s words were still ringing in his mind. “Though Tywin wasn’t particularly keen to have you stay,” he added. Tamren seemed to tense at the mention of his brother’s name. He assumed she was recalling his fury at the way she had spoken so dismissively to him in the meeting.

“He’s wanted me gone for a while,” she said quietly. Kevan frowned.

“That’s not true. You were rather rude though -”

“He had me taken off your security detail,” she cut in and Kevan found his words dying on his lips.

“He what?” Despite knowing Tywin had his concerns over how close they were, he hadn’t thought his brother would go quite that far. It stung to think his brother didn’t trust him.

“He thinks there’s something going on between us,” she continued, her voice wavering a little. Kevan felt his heart clench. He hardly needed Tamren to tell him that given it was all he and Tywin had rowed about since she had left, but somehow it was hard to hear the words out loud from her lips.

“He knows I would never . . . I mean, I wouldn’t . . . not with an employee,” he said quickly. He was trying to convince himself really and yet it was Tamren who flinched at his words.

“Right, of course,” she said quietly, her shoulders dropping a little. “I mean why would you look twice at me? You’ve got stunning chief executives inviting you to bed. I’m just the staff, just the guard.  I’m not -”

Kevan realised he’d made a mistake immediately. She was looking completely despondent. Before he could stop himself he was reaching for her, one hand settling on her arm, torn between trying to reassure her and keep his distance as he knew he should.

“No, Tam, that’s not what I meant – you’re . . .” There were any number of words he could have used to describe her, he thought, and yet none of them would help his cause. “Gods any man would be lucky to have you look twice at him -”

“Any man other than you,” she stated.

“It’s just I . . .” he struggled to find the words. “It would be completely unethical. I’m your client. It would be inappropriate, coercive -”

“Coercive?” She cut in again, tone incredulous. “Kevan, I’m a thirty three year old bodyguard, not some nineteen year old intern fresh out of school. I know about twelve different ways to put a man in an arm-lock. Is that all you’re worried about?” She stopped, a different expression now sliding over her features. Kevan felt himself grow warm.

“You’re not, _coercing_ me into anything, Kevan. I want you - just you.”

A sharp, aching desire took hold of him at her words. Kevan swallowed hard, his heart rate increasing.

He’d kept her job by promising Tywin nothing was happening between them, that nothing ever would. And yet when she moved closer and when she looked up at him like that, then reached out for him, one soft hand suddenly on his face, he felt his resolve begin to crumble.

“We mustn’t do this, Tam. We can’t – I can’t,” he argued.

“I really don’t care about what we should or shouldn’t do. What do you _want_?” she asked.

It had been so long since someone had truly asked him that, Kevan struggled to find his voice.

_You,_ he thought. _Gods, you, Tam._

But those were not the words that crossed his lips when he finally spoke.

“It doesn’t matter what I want, it’s not just me I have to consider,” he replied with a shake of his head. “I have to do what’s best for the campaign - for my family.”

He paused, steeling himself to speak again, to try and make her understand. The warmth of her palm on his cheek and the clear desire in her eyes were making it almost impossible to concentrate on all the reasons why this was a bad idea.

“I’m sorry, Tam, we really can’t do this. If the press found out about us, it-”

“It would tarnish your impeccable reputation,” she cut in, her words bitter and hurt now. “Kevan Lannister, sleeping with some low born, indebted, servant -”

Kevan frowned and shook his head again but he did not reach out for her, instead, taking a step back and putting some distance between them.

“That’s not what I think of you, Tam. You have to understand, this isn’t about you or me - it’s about this party and this election.”

She didn’t move, just stood rigid in front of him, the hand that had been on his face falling back to her side. Kevan watched as she took a breath, then slid her hand into her pocket and straightened up, her expression becoming cool and distant. His chest hurt, his heart sank.

“I understand, Sir,” she said and Gods the formality cut through him. Tamren looked away, glancing at the clock on the wall. He followed her gaze, it was late, later than he had realised. She cleared her throat and turned towards the door.

“I need to run you through some self-defence drills in the gym at six thirty tomorrow. Your schedule’s free so please meet me there. Or I can get someone else to take the session, if you’d prefer?”

“No, that’s fine,” he replied, hating watching her walk away from him yet again.

He had passed the test, Kevan thought bitterly as he watched her leave. She had offered him everything and he had done his duty and turned her down. And yet all he could feel was a painful emptiness settling over him.

 

 

 

 

Tamren barely slept, a hollowness in her chest keeping her up. By the early hours of the morning, it had given way to frustration and anger at herself. This was precisely why she had never allowed herself to get this close to a client before. It had been stupid to think there could ever be anything between them. She wasn’t from his world and never would be. Any pain she felt now, any upset, well it was her own fault, she thought. Finally accepting that thought allowed her to drift off for a few restless hours.

When she awoke the emptiness was still there, now coupled with the knowledge that she still had a job to do and that was the only thing she had left at this point. It drove her to rise and dress quickly, heading for the gym.

She was stood by the training mats when she saw Kevan arrive, looking as if he’d had just as sleepless a night as she had. He gave her a wan smile whilst he made his way to her and she felt an aching weight descend in her stomach.

“Good morning,” he murmured in greeting. Tamren found herself frowning as he held her gaze.

Luckily, before she could say anything to get herself in any further trouble, Brienne and Jamie appeared at her side. Tamren felt inordinately relived at their presence. Jamie might still be apparently oblivious to the tension even after her outburst yesterday, but Brienne had spent a few minutes giving her a pep talk when they had first arrived and started prepping for the self-defence session.

“Morning, Sir,” the towering head of security greeted Kevan, sparing Tamren having to deal with the tension any longer. “There are a few basic drills we need to run through. Now it is highly unlikely you will have to use any of these skills and it’s nothing too complicated, just simple techniques in case you end up having to fight off an attacker yourself. That shouldn’t occur, but, well . . .”

Brienne was rambling a little and speaking far too quickly but Tamren knew it was an attempt to cover for her own discomfort.

Kevan looked a little startled at the head of security’s words and Tamren saw him turn to her.

“I thought you were going to be at my side throughout the talks?” he asked her with some confusion.

In days past, she would have felt a certain satisfaction at the knowledge he wanted her there. Now, somehow it made the barrier he had put between them feel all the more insurmountable.

She gave him a blunt, brief answer. “I am. This is in case someone gets past me.”

Judging by the way surprise and concern clouded his features, Tamren didn’t think she needed to go any further and explain the circumstances under which that might happen.

She and Brienne ran through the first demonstration, covering how to successfully disarm an attacker with a knife. She went through the process several times, slowing it down and breaking down the movements as she stripped the plastic training blade from her colleague’s hands. As she spoke, Kevan watched closely and Tamren was pleased with how seriously he was taking the exercise. At least his respect for her work hadn’t diminished despite everything that had happened.

Once she was confident he’d got the idea, she had him practice on Jamie several times. There was no particular reason she couldn’t have done it, but she suspected he would be reluctant to touch her and she was happy to avoid the contact herself for the time being. Everything was still much too raw.

As the session continued, Kevan became more confident, managing to get the knife from Jamie’s hands several times. Brienne took over with a slightly different technique and Tamren was filled with more confidence at the way he adapted to the new challenge.

They only paused in order to take a water break. Kevan joined her at the side of the matting whilst Brienne and Jamie tidied the training area and prepared for the final drill. Tamren passed him the water bottle and he took it with a grateful nod before taking a long swallow.

“Have you spoken to your brother at all?” he asked once he’d drunk his fill.

Tamren hadn’t been expecting that, assuming he’d keep the conversation to work alone. She nodded. “Yes, he got back to me last night. He’s sorting payment, so no need for you to get involved,” she lied. Kevan gave her a gentle look.

“Regardless of, well, of us . . .” he trailed off and looked uncomfortable at the use of the word. Tamren felt a prickle of irritation at that but Kevan continued apparently without having noticed. “The point is, my offer to help still stands.”

She didn’t want his pity or his power, she thought angrily. She would take care of this as she always had - on her own.

She was spared having to tell him as much by Brienne announcing they’d taken long enough to rest.

“Now this last drill is how to escape if you find yourself taken down to the floor,” Jamie said.

“That seems unlikely,” Kevan replied but he moved to the side to allow his nephew and Brienne to demonstrate. Tamren caught his eye as he glanced over her and quirked a smile that made her heart clench. “I’m sure I can rely on Tamren to put in a life saving tackle should that occur.”

“If you’re already on the floor then your guard will have been incapacitated by this point,” Jamie replied bluntly and Tamren watched the smile slide from Kevan’s face as he grew sombre.

Brienne was glaring daggers at Jamie when Tamren forced herself to drop Kevan’s gaze. Jamie just shrugged and went to take up a fighting stance but before he could, Brienne had already caught him off guard, sending him crashing to the mat. Tamren flinched on the man’s behalf - Brienne really wasn’t to be messed with when riled.

For a couple of minutes, she stood beside Kevan, doing her best to concentrate on the demonstration taking place before her whilst Jamie talked him through what he was doing to break Brienne’s grip and get her off him. She really wasn’t making it easy for him at all.

They were coming to the end of the demonstration and Jamie had finally managed to throw Brienne from him, when Tamren heard a phone ring from beside the mats – then another went off and both heads of security scrambled to grab their devices. Tamren waited with a sudden nervous energy as they nodded and gave curt replies.

“Slight incident on the security perimeter, we’ll both need to get back to the office,” Jamie said once both he and Brienne had hung up having apparently both been relayed the same message from the control room. “I’m afraid we’ll have to cut this short.”

Brienne turned to Tamren as she gathered up her things. “Why don’t you just finish up here?” she suggested.

Tamren almost protested that she should join them but Brienne was giving her a somewhat knowing look and she bit back her response. She glanced over at Kevan, he gave a shrug, apparently happy with the idea.

The two of them moved into place on the training mats as the others hurried from the room and then Tamren found herself finally, uncomfortably, alone with Kevan. He was watching her expectantly, no trace of unease on his features as she had expected and somehow that made it all worse. How could he be so composed when she felt so tumultuous? The only conclusion she could reach was he truly didn’t want her in the same way she so desperately wanted him.

“I’m going to try and take you down,” she said eventually, trying to force all other thoughts from her mind and focus on the necessity of ensuring he could effectively defend himself. That was the only thing that mattered now.

Kevan nodded and took up the stance he’d been taught throughout the session, balancing his weight evenly and bracing himself.

“Fight back the way Jamie showed you,” Tamren continued, beginning to circling around him now. Kevan kept a careful watch on her, eyes following her movements intently. The moment she saw him shift his weight again she lunged in, taking him round the middle.

 

 

 

 

The next thing Kevan knew, he was on his back, both arms pinned to the floor behind his head and Tamren straddling his chest. The sudden solid weight of her leaning on him was completely overwhelming to the point where he found he couldn’t move or even attempt to escape her hold.

She shifted back slightly so her knees were pressed to either side of his abdomen. At her movement, Kevan became suddenly very conscious that his shirt had ridden up and the bare skin of her legs was against his waist. She was holding her weight off him now, stretched out over him. Her fingers were wrapped around his wrists and her face was level with his own only a few inches above. He could feel the loose strands of her hair brushing his face and her breath – surprisingly erratic – was whispering against his cheek, against his lips . . . Gods, he wanted to kiss her so much it almost hurt.

“That was too easy. You’re not taking this seriously enough,” she said, a frown creasing her features.

Her eyes were dark and intense, but even as she spoke brusquely, apparently concentrated on the task at hand, Kevan saw her eyes fall to his lips the same way they had last night. He swallowed hard. It would take almost nothing to lean up and capture her mouth with his own.

_Just a taste_ , he thought to himself. _That would be alright, wouldn’t it?_ Just a moment to enjoy what she had offered him. That could be enough, he would stop before things went too far. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it, he knew it wasn’t fair on her.

“You’re stronger than me. Break my grip and throw me off,” she said, eyes flitting back to his own, her tone insistent.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he offered from beneath her.

Tamren gave him a bitter, sarcastic smile and released his hands. “And I really don’t want you to die on my watch, so if you could concentrate for a minute that would be great, Sir.”

She rolled off him but didn’t rise to her feet, instead lying beside him on the mat. Kevan took a moment to catch his breath, expecting her to get up and demand they start the drill again. When she didn’t, he glanced over at her quizzically and she raised her eyebrows.

“Your turn on top.”

There was no hint of teasing in her tone and Kevan felt his mouth go dry. The mischievous glint usually present in her gaze was long gone, replaced by a quiet defiance and something piercing he didn’t want to examine too much.

When he didn’t move she gave him an exasperated look.

“I’m going to demonstrate breaking the hold. Come on.”

 

 

 

 

Tamren almost laughed at how uncertain he looked - the usually stoic and rational Kevan Lannister suddenly thrown by the thought of having to pin her down – and then he complied and moved over her, mirroring her own position from moments before. Tamren realised she had severely underestimated just how distracting it would be to find herself caught beneath him.

He’d made it clear to her last night that they didn’t have a future together - that he didn’t want her, and yet the look in his eyes now gave lie to his words.

“Put one hand on mine,” she said, trying to check her own desire for a moment and do her best to look the picture of unaffected professionalism. Kevan did as she asked, using one large hand to pin her arms. He didn’t grip particularly tight, but his broad palm easily held both her wrists. She could feel her heart rate increasing and wondered if he could feel her pulse.

“Now usually you’d expect an attacker to use their free hand to strike at you, so put your hand on my waist.”

He hesitated and she gave him a sharp look until he complied. The warmth of him felt intoxicating even through her thin sports vest. He was so close and yet so distant, it was almost unbearable. Tamren struggled to recall why she had put herself in this position.

Kevan didn’t move, waiting patiently for her instruction as he so often did. She knew she would do almost anything to protect this man. But would it be enough?

Channelling her frustration, Tamren wrapped her legs around his waist and used his moment of shock as she rolled to the side to pull her hands free from his grip. Kevan ended up on his back again but rather than straddle him once more, she got to her feet, leaving him lying on the ground below her.

“We should go again, so you can practice the movement,” she said quickly as he stood upright, straightening out his clothes without looking at her.

“I think that’s enough, Tam.”

His voice was low and thick with emotion and he was still averting his gaze. Tamren felt something bubbling inside her, a barely controlled dismay and anger beneath the surface.

“I need to know you can protect yourself,” she argued but Kevan only shook his head.

“I have the security team. I have you.” He finally met her eye. “I trust you with my life. But this  . . . I can’t do this anymore.”

_Neither can I_ , Tamren thought, a sudden moment of clarity coming to her. This hurt too much, to have him so close and yet completely unavailable to her.

Kevan thanked her for her help and then turned and left quickly. As she watched him go, Tamren realised this would have to be the last job she did for him. Fuck the contract and fuck Nestoris and everyone else. She wasn’t going to stay here and watch this man shove aside everything in favour of his brother and a Premier that didn’t appreciate him. She wasn’t going to be at his side when the inevitable happened and he found someone else, someone more appropriate to his social standing. Someone his brother would approve of. No, she had too much pride for that. One way or another, she would be leaving the moment he was safe and back in Parliament.

 

 

 

The final couple of days of planning passed in a blur. Kevan got the impression his guard was avoiding him – which was probably for the best he reasoned. He rarely saw Tamren and when he did, it was always with Brienne or another member of the security team present but even that was difficult. She was polite and friendly on the surface, the picture of professionalism to an outside observer. But he could see what was missing and it made his heart heavy.

The protests continued unabated. The police did their best to contain things as safely as possible but there were multiple injuries and many more arrests as the separatist supporters and anti-Iron Islander groups clashed more frequently. The violence only further compounded Kevan’s resolve that he was doing the right thing, no matter how much risk may be involved.

He awoke early on the day of the talks. His sleep had been restless and fitful. More than once he had awoken having dreamt of the flash of a knife and then blinding pain. And more than once he’d had visions of either he or Tamren bleeding on the cold marble of the Iron Islands council hall. He shivered at the memory and rose from bed, showering and dressing quickly before descending to the Parliament lobby accompanied by Podrick.

Tamren was there when he arrived and to his surprise, so was his brother.

“Kevan,” Tywin greeted him stiffly. Tamren was stood beside him, her hands clasped behind her back. She gave him a quick nod that he returned before acknowledging his brother.

“Early meeting?” Kevan asked. Tywin shook his head and gave him a small smile.

“No, I’m here to see you off,” he replied incredulously. “You’ve got the fate of this election campaign and probably the damn country in your hands.”

Tywin had never been the most expressive or affectionate brother and Kevan couldn’t help but feel faintly astonished at his words.

“I’m counting on you to get this right, Kevan,” he added, extending a hand that Kevan clasped in a brief, tight shake. Tywin’s expression gave away very little but the gesture meant enough to Kevan without anything further being said.

Tywin paused a second before giving Tamren a piercing look. For a moment Kevan thought he was going to admonish her for some infraction he had missed but then his brother gave her a quick flash of something that might have been a smile.

“Keep him safe,” Tywin said quickly.

Tamren looked surprised for a moment, then gave a polite nod. “Yes, Sir,” she replied in a firm, determined voice.

With that, Tywin turned on his heel, marching for the lifts. Kevan shared a brief look with his bodyguard before they were joined by Brienne and Podrick and made their way out to the waiting cars.

The drive to the airport was subdued. Tamren took a seat next to him in the back of the car but only spoke to give him a reminder of their itinerary and the security procedures for the day and even then Brienne did most of the talking. They were joined on the tarmac of the runway by another contingent of guards, the rest having already travelled ahead to the Iron Island’s itself to secure the hotel Kevan would be using as a base. There were so many black suited figures around him, Kevan felt almost suffocated by their presence.

It was only once they were safely aboard the flight that Tamren left his side and rather than deal with the sharp loneliness that her obvious discomfort around him provoked, Kevan retreated to the sanctuary of the office in order to work for the next few hours.

 

 

 

 

Tamren found herself feeling lost once they were in the air. There’d been so much to do, so much to distract her that it had made it easier to ignore the anxiety worming its way into her mind. It wasn’t like she hadn’t dealt with dangerous situations for clients before – God knows she’d handled enough for Kevan at this point – but there was something different about knowing they were flying North into a trap, one that might not see all of them return unscathed. It was harder to deal with now that the one person she could truly seek any comfort from was now beyond her reach.

She’d done her best to stay away from him during the last days in Parliament. As much as she hated being away from him, seeing him and trying to act like all was well was harder. Their usual gentle bantering was gone, replaced by polite if awkward exchanges.

The whole situation had been made far worse by the fact that in midst of all their planning for Kevan’s security, Jamie and Brienne seemed to have gotten over their latest quarrel and were back to being painfully teasing and amorous. Tamren didn’t want to begrudge her friend whatever happiness seemed to have blossomed between the two tempestuous heads of security, but she couldn’t help feeling jealous about it. She just hoped Brienne was prepared for whatever difficulties Tywin would throw her way should he discover her growing relationship with his son.

Brienne took a seat beside her, setting up her laptop on the tray.

“Want to run through the plans one more time?” the tall blonde asked.

Tamren gave her a grateful smile. “Please. Anything for a distraction.”

Brienne spoke in a calm, measured tone, talking through the information Tamren had already memorised.

Once they landed there would armoured cars waiting for them in a convoy of four, ready to whisk Kevan directly to the small hotel he would be staying in should the talks over run. Whilst he had the opportunity to freshen up, a contingent of guards would travel on to the Council building to prepare for his arrival. Tamren and Brienne along with another group of guards would remain at the hotel and within an hour, would escort him to the meeting. Once inside the building, Kings Landing guards would be stationed throughout with Tamren, Podrick and two others taking a position inside the meeting room itself. Brienne would monitor the situation as a whole from the Council’s security control room. The attempt was due to talk place at some point towards the end of the talks. The guards would take down the attackers, the footage of the attack from the security cameras would be leaked to the press, Kevan and Asha Greyjoy would stand in unity together to denounce the assault and the agreement for an independence vote would be signed.

The hope was that the talks would be concluded today as much had already been agreed in writing via secret communications between Tywin and Councillor Greyjoy. All being well, Kevan and the rest of the team would be flying straight back to Kings Landing city tonight. There didn’t seem much point in hanging around in the Islands any longer than necessary, it would only provide more opportunities for attempts on his life.

No matter how many times she ran through it all - picking apart the plans, reviewing the layout of the building, weighing up response time from ambulances that would be held on standby - Tamren still couldn’t shake the sense of unease that the whole affair left her with. It was still gripping her tight by the time they landed.

The salt air was freezing and coupled with a stiff sea breeze, it cut to the bone. Tamren was on high alert as she descended the steps of the plane a step behind Kevan. They briskly made their way to the waiting car and she ducked inside, joining he and Brienne before the convoy rolled out from the airport, escorted by police cars on blue lights that swept them at high speed into the city of Pyke.

 

 

 

 

Kevan had felt nervous tension begin to rise inside him from the moment the wheels touched down, but as they raced towards Pyke, the tang of sea air sitting in his throat and the great cliffs looming into view, it grew sharper.

The tension in the car was thick enough it was stifling. Brienne was on her phone speaking to the lead guard at the hotel and organising removing protestors from the front of the building. Tamren sat silent and still as a statue beside him and as he glanced over at her profile, despite everything that had happened between them, Kevan couldn’t help but feel reassured by her presence beside him. No matter what, he knew he would have at least one ally in the room with him when the time came.

Things were frantic when they reached the hotel. There was a scrum of press waiting on the pavement, held behind a security barrier that was manned by several burly government guards. Tamren and Brienne didn’t waste any time escorting him in, sticking tight to his side as they made their way through the wall of noise and camera flashes. Questions were shouted his way and summarily ignored and further down the street, being held at bay by a wall of police, a group of protestors made their displeasure at his presence known. Kevan ignored the chants and they quickly faded away once they left the hotel lobby and made for his suite.

Brienne peeled off to go and deal with some unknown issue and two young men took her place beside him. Tamren stayed with him as well, walking him down narrow corridors to his room and only leaving him at the door to go and ready herself for the talks now looming closer to them.

Kevan stepped into the small room to find another guard already present. The man snapped to attention as he strode in.

“Your suitcase, Sir.”

“Thank you,” Kevan replied, standing the man at ease as he unpacked the clean clothes he’d brought with him. He’d be wearing the suit Tamren had helped him pick out – the same one he’d worn the day of the debate. It felt like something of a lucky charm at this point.

Once he’d gathered his things, he made his way into the tiny bathroom – the only room he would be granted any privacy in throughout the duration of the day.

He stood under the shower head, feeling the warm water wash away the strange grime of travelling but it couldn’t ease the pressure in his chest. In less than an hour he would march into a building full of hostile politicians knowing that someone was going to attempt to kill him. And yet that didn’t worry him as much as not being able to secure the required assurances from Councillor Geyjoy around cracking down on the Separatists in order to sign the agreement for an independence vote. If this all fell through it would be on him and all this risk, all this planning, it would have been for nothing. He hated to think what would the consequences of that would be.

He stepped out of the shower and dressed quickly in shirt and trousers before heading back into the main room to gather his jacket and a tie. In a matter of minutes he knew Tamren and Brienne would be joining him and they would begin the short drive to the Council offices.

The knock announcing their arrival came sooner than he had expected, sounding sharp and insistent in the sombre silence of the room. He took a breath to calm any final nerves. This was it then.

 “Enter,” he called.

 

 

 

 

When Tamren stepped into the room, Kevan was stood by the bed pulling out a tie from his suitcase. His eyes landed on her, lingering a moment, and then he turned to a bored looking guard sat on the edge of the sofa.

“Please wait outside a moment,” he said to the young man who gave him a brief nod and rose, crossing the room quickly and closing the door behind him.

The hotel room was much smaller than usual having been booked last minute and with very specific safety concerns in mind and Tamren found she felt strangely constricted. There was no balcony and Kevan had been instructed to stay away from the windows at all times. The curtains were drawn and the light just manging to filter through was giving the room a strange eerie quality.

“Shirt off, I need you to put this on,” she said, trying to keep her tone level as she handed over a stab vest. Kevan eyed it warily and she got ready to argue with him. Then he accepted it from her outstretched hands. He looked it over for a moment before placing it on the bed and beginning to take off his shirt. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen him half undressed before and he was wearing a t-shirt underneath to keep out the chill of the Northern sea air, but Tamren found herself turning away, unable to watch.

“You’ll have to help me into it,” she heard him say from behind her.

When she faced him again, Kevan was waiting for her, looking calm still. She gathered the vest up and slipped it on over his head.

“Is this really necessary?” he asked as she moved around him.

“I hope not,” she said quietly. Kevan didn’t reply.

Tamren strapped it up tight around his waist, running her hands over it to check it was fitted snug to his chest but with enough give he could breathe and move freely.

“How does that feel?” she asked, moving round to stand in front of him.

“Comfortable enough,” he replied, reaching for his dress shirt and pulling it on over the top. Tamren didn’t turn away this time as he did the buttons up and he gave her a concerned look, his eyes sweeping the length of her.

“Please tell me you’re wearing one,” he said suddenly, his gaze lingering on her waist whilst he tucked his shirt in and reached for his jacket beside her on the bed. Tamren patted her abdomen and nodded.

“All the guards are.”

Kevan looked visibly relieved at that and Tamren wished she didn’t feel the sudden, desperate pang of affection for him that his reaction provoked.

She took his jacket and rather than handing it over, she held it open for him and he allowed her to help him shrug it on. When she had finished she didn’t move, remaining in front of him whilst he knotted his tie and then ran his hands over his chest, clearly feeling uncomfortable in the rigid stab vest.

“Remember what we covered in the gym?” she asked him. He paused for a moment and she wondered if he was remembering how it had felt lying on the mat together. To her frustration, it was all she’d dreamt about the last few nights – was it wrong to hope he was plagued by the same memories?

Eventually, he gave her a brief nod and she continued. “Whatever happens, you need to follow the instructions of the guards around you.”

“Of course,” he assured her and then, to her surprise, he reached out before she could turn away.

Kevan settled one broad hand upon her arm, his gaze holding her own as he ran his thumb back and forth across the fabric of her suit. She thought she had been doing a good job of looking calm and collected about the whole procedure, but clearly he hadn’t been fooled.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, the words coming quietly.

“You will,” Tamren agreed. A strange sense of peace settled over her as she looked up at him. “Because I am going to do whatever it takes to make sure you are.”

Kevan gave a smile. “I know. I trust you. Now, is that everything?” he asked.

Tamren looked back at him, a pain in her chest that she couldn’t push aside. He was giving her a gentle smile and wearing the same compassionate gaze she’d grown so familiar with over the last few months. She’d let so many opportunities pass her by, she wasn’t going to make the same mistake now.

“Nearly,” she replied.

Kevan raised his brows in question and before she could stop herself, Tamren moved closer, reached for his face and kissed him, hard.

She heard him give a shallow gasp as her mouth met his. He stood, taut as piano wire, unmoving and unresponsive for a moment. She could taste coffee on his lips, feel the warmth of him beneath her fingers and she tried hard to memorise the sensation of him, knowing that one way or another, it might be the last chance she got. And for a brief, heart clenching moment before she pulled away, Tamren thought she might have felt Kevan return her kiss.

“You can fire me for that later,” she said after drawing back and letting her hand fall from him.

Kevan remained still, staring at her in apparent shock and she turned, making her way to the door.

“Let’s go.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't figure out any reasonable way of cutting this chapter down or splitting it up so it's a long one.

“ _You can fire me for that later_.”

Kevan found himself frozen to the spot as Tamren’s words rang in his ears and he watched her turn and stride directly for the door. It had all happened so quickly he’d barely had time to react and now all he was left with was a faint whisper of her on his lips and a sense of longing that left him at a loss for words. He couldn’t place why exactly, but something about the way she had looked at him before her lips had met his left him feeling uncomfortably like the kiss had been more goodbye than it had good luck.

“Let’s go,” she said, the words tossed over her shoulder at him and he realised he truly didn’t have time to contemplate this all anymore. He finally took a step forward, feeling heavy limbed as if he was wading through mud, and gathered up his notes from where they lay on the bed.

Tamren had already opened the door by the time he had caught up with her and she was slipping out into the corridor. There were guards at either end – two young, muscular men wearing scowls and earpieces – and Brienne was waiting for them by the lift, tense and alert.

Kevan fell into step beside his bodyguard, doing his best to appear calm and collected when he felt anything but. If she’d have given him a second longer to register what was happening, he knew that despite everything he’d told her – everything he’d tried so hard to convince himself of - he’d have given himself over to her completely.

Instead, he found himself stepping into a lift with her whilst Brienne spoke in firm, sombre tones about the journey to the council buildings. Kevan found it difficult to take in a word she was saying - Tamren was stood close beside him and he found his heart was still beating far too fast for comfort. She was looking away from him and apparently focused but he could see the tightness in her stance and knew that under the surface of her cool demeanour, her pulse would be racing as much as his own. He remembered the way he had felt it fluttering under his fingertips when he’d held her in the gym.

There was a loud ping as the lift settled at the ground floor and Kevan forced the memories aside. Brienne was stepping out into the lobby, Tamren following and he needed to focus on the task at hand now.

There were guards everywhere. Despite the tip-off that the assassination attempt would come at the talks themselves, the security team were taking no chances and the reception area had been cleared of guests to allow for his departure. Tamren stuck by to his side as they wound their way through the seating area beside the front desk and more guards joined them as they headed for the waiting cars.

 

 

 

 

Tamren could feel adrenalin coursing through her veins as they raced towards the council building. Kevan was seated beside her, close enough that one warm thigh was pressed tight to her own. Despite Brienne’s presence in the front of the vehicle with the driver, he had made no attempt to put any space between them whilst he sat reading through his notes. She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or worried by that. She’d expected some attempt at distance on his part or even an admonishment for ignoring his warnings about their respective positions, not for him to press closer to her. Perhaps, she considered, he was more afraid of what was coming than she had first thought.

When they arrived at the front of the building, there was a wall of press being held back by more guards. Kevan tucked his notes away and she watched him stare through the window. They would have to run the gauntlet of walking directly through the lines of journalists up to the hulking slate grey council building squatting against a stormy sky. It wasn’t quite as regal as Kings Landing parliament but it was certainly as imposing, she thought.

“Ready, Sir?” she asked.

Kevan glanced away from the window. He’d been grim faced on the drive over but when he caught her eye Tamren saw him relax slightly and he forced a smile.

“As I’ll ever be.”

She gave him a nod and just before she opened the door and slid from her seat, she felt Kevan’s hand close over her own and give a brief squeeze.

The noise of shutters going off at a rapid pace filled her ears the moment she stepped out. Tamren rounded the vehicle quickly and opened the door for Kevan as the flash of a hundred cameras lit up the sidewalk. He stepped out looking for all the world as if he was attending just another meeting, his head held high and that look of casual Lannister pride fixed in place. He paused a second whilst she shut the door and then the moment she fell into step beside him, they set off at a brisk pace, pushing through a harsh wind rolling in off the sea and climbing the steep granite steps.

When they stepped in, the lobby was bright and teeming with guards. Great glass walls allowed a view out across the sea battering the cliff edge, though the noise of it was muffled. Despite the airiness of the building, the environment of Pyke itself left Tamren feeling strangely claustrophobic.

They were met by an official who quickly whisked them towards the debating chamber that was to be used for the talks. Tamren tried to clock as many members of Pyke staff as she could, scanning faces, watching the movement of hands and searching for any sign of antipathy or nerves that might suggest one of them was waiting for their moment to strike.

Kevan was speaking with the official in a low tone, keeping his eyes on the younger man as they walked, apparently at ease and unconcerned by everything occurring around him. She hoped he was feeling as relaxed as he looked. He would need all his attention focused on the talks ahead if this was all going to be worth it.

She’d already seen the plans for the debate hall so she knew what to expect before they stepped in. The furthest wall was made of the same thick glass as that of the lobby, giving a view of a dark sky and churning sea, the rest of the walls painted a dark blue with various maritime images affixed at odd points between concrete pillars. It was as far removed from the warm stone and oak panelling of the Kings Landing chamber as she could imagine and Tamren wondered whether it had been designed like this deliberately in order to put visiting officials on the back foot. Certainly, it was much too large for the number of staff currently filling it and most of them were guards stood with their backs to the walls, rather than politicians.

Kevan crossed the floor and met Councillor Greyjoy and her aides in the centre of the circular room, greeting her with a warm handshake.

The stocky brunette returned his grip with an imperious smile. “Mr Lannister, we’re so glad the Baratheon party decided to attend.”

“Indeed,” Kevan replied. “Let’s hope we can put an end to this madness.”

Tamren remained beside him at a slight distance, watching him acknowledge the four aides accompanying Asha along with other councillors. Introductions were made and brief small talk conducted regarding his journey over and the less than perfect weather Pyke was currently experiencing, and then before long they were done with the pleasantries and taking their seats, apparently keen to get down to business.

She took up her position against the wall behind Kevan’s chair. Along the wall at intervals of a few feet were Government guards interspersed with Pyke staff – all large, burly men, stood rigid and scowling. She focused on them as Kevan began to speak, introducing to the room why they were there and laying out the points to be discussed.

Asha Greyjoy drove a hard bargain and was a skilled, if blunt, debater. She did not use the PR honed words and media friendly phrasing of Daenerys and she was more direct than Kevan, but Tamren had been around enough politicians at this point to judge that she was formidable as she and Kevan argued back and forth over what the Iron Islands would do in return for the independence vote. She knew his main concern was to stop the violence in the streets of Kings Landing but with a view to winning said vote, he was also focused on having the Council denounce the separatist group and hand over all information they held on the organisation.

“I will need assurances that my people will not be needlessly targeted for minor infringements – or for their involvement in political organising,” Asha was arguing. Kevan was observing her carefully, his expression coolly neutral whilst his counterpart spoke.

“The Government understands that many people will have been caught up in the unrest at one point or another. We are not interested in arresting low level, affiliated members - only those intent on causing disruption and harm.”

Tamren watched as Kevan continued, his voice clear, no sign that he was under any additional pressure or hint of nerves showing. He was firm and authoritative and she felt an unexpected surge of pride at the way he was able to set aside his own concerns in favour of doing what was needed for the country. She didn’t know whether to take that as testament to his faith in her and the rest of the team or his professionalism alone, but either way, she knew she would miss his calm, steady tone when it came time for her to leave.

 

 

 

 

Kevan found himself all but forgetting about the growing risk as the debate continued, so intent was he on getting the agreement done and signed. He knew Tamren was stood behind him, her reassuring presence always there in the back of his mind as he continued to focus on the talks. But as time wore on and the finer points were ground down and arguments wound up, he felt an uncomfortable tension beginning to spread through him. There hadn’t been so much as a twitch or a cough from the guards at the walls or the Pyke staff around the room. When was it going to happen?

He pulled his attention back to the shrewd woman sat a few feet away from him as she continued to speak. He’d only met Asha Greyjoy on a handful of occasions prior to this and he had previously appreciated her snappy decision making and matter of fact approach to politics until he had come up against it himself.

“Well then Mr Lannister, you have my agreement,” she said at last once they cleared the final hurdle of having all evidence on the Separatist movement handed over in exchange for the release of protestors who had been rounded up over the last few days. It was a point Kevan knew his brother hadn’t particularly wished to concede as it left Joffrey’s government looking less authoritative than perhaps they needed right now, but he was of the opinion it would be an effective olive branch to prove the government was fair and objective in its handling of the independence movement. Besides, he thought, as he tidied away his paperwork, Asha was driving a very hard bargain and he didn’t feel there was any other way to ensure they walked away with what they needed without giving something up.

Kevan rose from his seat, the tight, tendril of anxiety beginning to wind its way through his mind. Now that the talks were concluded, there was nothing left to distract him from what was coming. He did his best to keep his expression neutral and his body language as relaxed as possible but it was easier said than done when he could feel the stab vest rubbing against his shirt.

He rounded the desk and before moving to shake hands with Councillor Greyjoy, glanced over in Tamren’s direction, catching her eye. If it was going to happen, it would be now or never. His guard shifted her stance and as he turned back and joined the opposition, he could almost feel her gaze on him.

Asha had a tall, older guard beside her as well as her aides and Kevan suddenly felt surrounded. Then Tamren was at his side with a nod and a polite “Sir,” that he felt settle him.

He shook hands with the Councillor and they said a few final words. Kevan kept his eyes on Asha, forcing himself not to follow the movements of the other staff and guards whilst they milled around, gathering up their paperwork and beginning to clear the room.

“We’ll make the announcement together now then?” Asha asked. Kevan nodded.

With that, they were leaving and he didn’t know whether to feel relief or panic at that. He was still alive, no one else had been hurt and everything had run smoothly. The rational part of his mind was telling him he should be grateful and yet he wasn’t so sure. The tip off had said the attack was planned for during the talks – that was what they’d drilled for and planned for so carefully. Everything after this point was unknown. He felt too warm, the stab vest too tight and a dark fear began to grip him.

He wasn’t sure whether Tamren had noticed or whether she too was starting to worry, but she was sticking closer to him than even usual as they strode down the high halls and into the lobby. He glanced through the doors towards the steps where a lectern was waiting for he and Asha to give their speech. It wasn’t clear whether it was raining or if the spray from the waves crashing against the cliffs was rising so high it was reaching the building, but he could see drops of water running down the great glass windows and making the top of the steps glisten.

Their party paused a moment before they stepped out, the aides turning to Asha and briefing her on a few lines to say. Kevan took the opportunity to straighten out his collar and loosen his tie a touch, hoping to ease some of the creeping tension whilst ensuring he didn’t reveal the vest hidden underneath.

Tamren must have registered his discomfort. Without taking her eyes off the room around them, she leant over slightly in order to speak in a low voice. “I should accompany you to the podium, Sir.”

Kevan would have liked nothing more than to have her with him whilst he stood before the assembled crowd of journalists, but it wouldn’t do to have security so obviously present when they were here to ease tensions. He would go alone.

 

 

 

 

They stepped out into the freezing air of Pyke and Tamren let Kevan go on ahead to stand behind the high wood of the podium. If she’d had her way she would have stayed at his side throughout the speech, but there were cameras and journalists to consider and she hadn’t been surprised when he had refused her offer – he and Asha had to stand together, united.

“Upon re-election, the government of Joffrey Baratheon promises a free and fair vote on the independence of the Iron Islands,” Kevan was saying, his voice ringing clear across the assembled crowd and cutting through the wind. Tamren kept her eyes on the figures stood around them as he continued to speak, searching desperately for any trouble. It had to be now, surely?

“Were we fed false information?” a voice hissed in her ear. Tamren glanced up when Brienne appeared at her side, apparently having abandoned the control room. She was scowling and scanning the assembled staff around them.

Tamren shrugged, speaking through tight lips as she replied. “Maybe they realised we were on to them and called it off?” She knew Kevan’s plan was reliant on the attack going ahead but she for one couldn’t care less about the politics so long as everyone walked away unscathed.

Brienne shook her head. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Kevan had paused and now Councillor Greyjoy had taken over speaking. She was far more animated, her words edged with elation as she heralded the agreement as a victory for the freedom and integrity of the nation, though graciously acknowledging the government’s part in the process. Once she was done, Kevan made a measured call for unity and an end to the violence that had plagued the capital – his words greeted by a ripple of approval from the assembled press.

And then it was over and both Asha and Kevan were stepping down from the podium and striding down the steps. The air was filled with a hundred shouted questions to both Kings Landing and Iron Islander alike, though they ignored the words.

Tamren strode quickly back to Kevan’s side, accompanied by Podrick and another guard, Brienne falling in behind them. Kevan wasn’t looking in her direction, instead focused on the waiting vehicle and keeping his expression neutral for the press surrounding them. She could see salty spray settling in his grey hair and spattering the shoulders of his suit as he walked, tension sitting heavy in every line on his face. She wondered if anyone else could see these things or if they all just saw a calm, collected politician walking away from satisfactory negotiations. Could any of them really see him or just his role?

They were almost at the cars when it happened.

She saw the crowd part and a figure crashed through the cordon, intent on making their way towards Kevan. There were startled shouts from the crowd but the man was halted immediately by two guards who tackled him to the floor, grappling a knife from his hand and forcing him into submission.

Tamren snapped into action, turning away from the fray almost as quickly as it happened. This was the distraction they’d been warned about - it was what came next that she needed to focus on. She kept her eyes on the crowd and placed her hand on Kevan’s back, urging him as quickly as she could towards the sanctuary of the waiting car.

Chaos erupted around them and through the throng of shoving journalists and protestors, she saw another figure slip through, barrelling towards them. The slim figure ducked past the grasping hands of a guard and threw himself towards Kevan.

Tamren caught the attacker by the arm, twisting his wrist violently to force the knife from his hand. It clattered to the floor and skidded away into the panicking crowd. The man uttered a yelp of pain that was cut off by Podrick grasping his other arm and wrenching it up behind his back. The young guard dragged the attacker backwards, forcing him away from Kevan.

She turned to look back at Kevan and from the corner of her eye, she saw the older guard who had been at Asha’s side throughout the day come sprinting towards them. For a moment, she thought he was going to assist Podrick and grab the attacker, and then she saw the glint of light off the blade of the knife in his hand. Tamren realised what was going to happen a split second before he reached them.

Instinctively, she filled the gap Podrick had left, putting herself directly between Kevan and the guard. Cold metal drove at her stomach, glancing off the stab vest as the kevlar did its job and deflected the blow. A second later, Tamren felt a searing pain shoot through her leg as the blade slashed her thigh and rather than attempt to defend herself, she grasped the man around the shoulders and let his own momentum send them both crashing to the floor and away from Kevan.

They fell to the concrete in a heavy tangle of limbs. Tamren felt the wind knocked from her as her back hit the ground, leaving her gasping for air. She reached out desperately, grasping the guard’s arm with the knife in both of her hands to force it away from any vulnerable part of her. As she struggled against his superior strength, the crushing weight of him pinning her to the floor, she felt the guard strike out at her face with his free hand.

Before she could attempt to recover herself from the initial assault, a crashing blow connected with her head with enough force that a wave of nausea rolled over her. For a moment her vision swam and there was an overwhelming ringing in her ears. She was vaguely away of a sudden press of bodies around her as more Government guards threw themselves into the fray. As she raised her arms to defend herself from another incoming blow, she thought she heard someone shouting her name, and then she found herself fighting to protect her body, moving purely on instinct as she struggled to keep the man on the floor and give the rest of the guards enough time to get Kevan to the car.

 

 

 

 

Kevan felt two pairs of strong hands gripping him tight, dragging him away from the fight. For a moment he pushed back desperately against them, trying to get back to where he’d seen Tamren fall, but they were pulling him along at such a pace he couldn’t break free. The crowd was yelling, the waves were booming as they crashed against the cliff and salty spray blinded him for a second. Disoriented by the chaos, he found himself almost carried off his feet by the guards’ desperation to pull him away from the melee behind them.

It was only when he was shoved unceremoniously into the backseat of the car and he caught a glimpse of blonde hair and pale skin that he realised one of the guards that had grabbed him was Brienne Tarth. She didn’t join him in the car, and as the engine roared into life and they pulled away, he turned in his seat to see her running back towards the front of the Council building and into the fray.

Kevan tried to get his breathing under control. The other guard who had pulled him away – some rational part of his tumultuous mind thought the young man’s name was Swann, perhaps– was talking rapidly and trying to get his attention.

“We’ll get you back to the hotel, Sir. There’s a team waiting. You’ll be safe there.”

Kevan ignored the man. He could feel panic threatening to overwhelm him. He’d seen the knife drive into her stomach, the grimace of pain as it had connected with her and then she’d fallen and he’d lost sight of her as his security team had acted quickly to pull him to safety. It had all happened so fast he couldn’t get to her, couldn’t help her . . .

“Sir? Sir, are you hurt at all?”

Kevan glanced up at the guard. Swann was watching him worriedly and Kevan took a breath and pulled himself together.

He shook his head. “No, I’m fine.”

The guard nodded, apparently relieved by that and Kevan watched him pull out his phone and ring ahead to the security team at the hotel.

The adrenaline that had flooded his system at the sight of the attacker slowly dissipated from his veins as the car raced onward, leaving him suddenly numb. The blue lights of ambulances and police cars swept past them heading in the opposite direction, everything strangely muffled inside the armoured vehicle. He found he barely heard the shouts of the few press and protestors still assembled outside of the hotel when they arrived and he stepped out. Everything felt slow and somehow unreal. He registered the words of the guards around him with a nod and seemed to hear himself speak from a distance though he didn’t recall summoning the words when they formed a circle around him and escorted him inside, heading for his room.

It was only when he made it in and suddenly everyone else had a job to do, rushing around him but not speaking to him, that he found everything coming back into focus. The fear was almost suffocating.

Kevan paced, desperate for news. The guards were coming and going in groups, talking amongst themselves and mostly ignoring him as they went about their duties packing up the whole operation and apparently preparing to leave. No matter what, there was always at least one of them in his room and he found himself growing increasingly angry at their presence. He considered ordering them out but apparently Brienne’s orders superseded even his own in this case and none of them would leave him alone to his thoughts.

Unable to do anything else, eventually he sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled his phone from his pocket. Tamren would have rung by now if she’d been able to, he thought. She wouldn’t leave him sat in the dark like this. If she hadn’t been in touch, perhaps she was just busy? Maybe she was clearing the scene or assisting police with removing the attackers.

Even as he clung to the thought, he could feel a growing cold dread beginning to grip him. She’d gone down hard under the assault of his attacker and before she’d been lost to him, he’d seen her fighting to defend herself from heavy blows. He felt nauseous all of a sudden.

Kevan leant forward, his head falling into his hands, and for the first time in a long time, he prayed. He prayed for her safety, for the strength to carry on and complete his task and for some reassurance that he had done the right thing despite what it might have cost him.

When Brienne arrived a few minutes later that was how she found him.

“Sir?” she said, her voice firm.

Kevan glanced up, springing to his feet at the sight of her. Alone.

“Where is she?” he demanded as the head of security strode towards him, grim faced. He noticed the blood staining her shirt sleeves and felt an icy chill run through him. “Brienne, where is Tamren?”

“On her way to the hospital,” she said and then she must have noticed the look of panic that Kevan felt wash over him as she rushed to clarify. “She’ll be fine. It’s nothing too serious.”

Relief gripped him. “I need to see her,” he said, speaking quickly and gathering up his jacket as he headed for the door.

Brienne blocked his way and shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but we need to get you on a flight out of here right away -”

“Absolutely not. You will arrange for a car to the hospital immediately. That is an order.”

Brienne gave him a wary look, clearly caught between her own better judgement and disobeying a direct order. “I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t remind you that your safety comes before everything else, Sir. And I’m sure Tamren would want you to remember that too,” she suggested hesitantly.

He froze, struggling to find a more rational reason for needing to be at the hospital than just a frantic need to see his guard. It wasn’t enough to hear she was alright, he had to confirm it for himself.

Kevan shrugged on his jacket and straightened out his tie, holding Brienne’s gaze and fighting to keep his tone steadier than he felt. “Ms Tarth, as the representative of the Government on Pyke, I have a responsibility to see to the welfare of my staff and anyone else hurt during this incident - I will not be leaving until I have done so. You will arrange transport to the hospital, now.”

The head of security backed down under his scrutiny and eventually gave him a reluctant nod of agreement.

 

 

 

 

With the paramedics tending to the broken limbs and battered bodies of the attackers and handful of unlucky journalists who had found themselves trampled in the panic, Tamren was aided into the emergency room by an ashen faced Podrick Payne. He left her in one of the uncomfortable plastic seats whilst he ran to the desk to try and get the attention of the nurse on duty.

Her head was spinning as she clutched the waded up fabric of her jacket against it in an attempt to stem the bleeding. There was blood all over her hands and dripping down her leg from the slash to her thigh – she could feel the cloying stickiness of it everywhere. She glanced down, the wound looked superficial but the pain lanced through her as she shifted her position and she grimaced.

Tamren settled back in the chair, staring up at the bright lights fitted in the ceiling and wincing as it made her head pound. She tried to ignore the pain and focused on Brienne’s reassuring words before she had left for the hotel. Kevan was safe, they’d gotten him away and the head of security would ensure he was on the next flight bound for Kings Landing.

With the solid plastic at her back and the chill of the aircon filtering through her, she could almost pretend she was back in the airport with him that evening after they’d spent the day together. What she wouldn’t give to go back to that moment, she thought, pain coursing through her. Back to the way things had been between them. She tried to remember the afternoon they had spent in the chapel. If she kept her eyes closed and shut out the noise of the emergency department as more injured guards and journalists were brought in to the busy waiting room, she could just about hold on to that feeling of contentment and of possibility that had risen up inside her when they had stood side by side in front of the great Weirwood, smiling and soggy and happy together.

She kept her eyes closed, focusing on that feeling and fighting the urge to drift off to sleep. Then somewhere in amongst all the noise, she heard someone calling her name and opened them again, wincing at the harshness of the light. Her head was swimming and her mind felt fuzzy for some reason. There were figures in medical scrubs stood over her, talking to her but she couldn’t hear them over the strange ringing in her ears that threatened to overwhelm her again.

She tried to stand but the slippery mess of blood on her hand gave her little grip against the arm of the chair. Tamren staggered sideways, reaching out for anything she could to hang onto and found her hand connecting with a solid shoulder before she collapsed against a warm body. A familiar scent engulfed her and she felt a sense of relief flood her exhausted body.

“I’ve got you, Tam. Don’t let go of me.”

An arm wrapped around her waist, holding her upright, pressed against his chest. Tamren clung to his shoulder as a gentle hand took the wadded mess of fabric from her and drew it away from her head. She felt blood begin trickling down her face immediately. “Good Gods,” she heard him mutter.

“You’re meant to be on a flight?” she said in confusion as her eyes met Kevan’s. He was staring at her, concern clear in every line even as his face fell into a frown.

“I’m not leaving without you,” he replied incredulously. Tamren wished she didn’t find herself clinging harder to him at his words but the pain in her leg was increasing with every moment she spent stood upright. Kevan must have noticed as he turned to the nurse closest to them.

“Why hasn’t she been seen to yet? Who’s in charge?” she heard him demand of the hapless staff.

A young doctor came to the nurse’s defence, attempting to placate him. “We’re exceptionally busy, Sir. I’m afraid -” she started to explain before Kevan cut her off angrily.

“Can’t you see she needs help? She can barely stand!”

“Well she did walk in, Sir. We have to prioritise those in the ambulances . . .”

Tamren gave a grunt of pain as her leg started to give. Kevan’s grip on her increased and his attention was back on her immediately. He wrapped her other arm around his neck. “Hold on to me,” he ordered and before she could protest, Tamren found herself being hauled up and into his arms. For a moment she was looking up into his worried gaze and then his expression hardened as he turned it on the staff again. “Now tell me where I’m taking her.”

 

 

 

 

She was a little heavier than he’d expected, Kevan thought as he hurried down the corridor behind the doctor who had finally given in to his demands and apparently cleared a space for her. Not that there was any chance he was going to put her down. Though his arms protested and he knew he would ache in the morning, the weight of her was desperately reassuring even with the blood smeared over her pale skin and coating her suit.

She was very quiet, that was what worried him the most. He’d expected her to object out of pride when he’d picked her up, but instead she’d just clung to him, her fingers gripping a handful of his jacket.

“Almost there,” he murmured to her as they turned onto a busy ward and were directed towards one end. He wasn’t sure whether she was concussed or just stunned, but her lack of response scared him. He was going to have to have a chat with Brienne regarding their clearly very different definitions of “not serious,” he thought.

Kevan carried her past rows of occupied beds until they reached an empty one. The doctor drew back a green privacy curtain and he carefully placed his injured guard on the bed. She sat perched on the edge and he kept his arms around her as he crouched slightly to look into her eyes. Her gaze seemed a little unfocussed for a moment, then she blinked and he felt her tense under his hands.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled.

Kevan almost laughed at how ridiculous a statement that was. Besides the fact the laceration over her eye that had previously been healing well had now opened up again, she had clearly taken a serious blow to the head that was seeping blood into a sticky mess in her hair and running down her face. Her hands were bloodied, her knuckles raw and then there was the slash to her leg.

He felt a horrible sense of guilt overwhelm him as he looked up at her. This was his doing, his stupid plan that had almost got her killed.

“I’m so sorry -” he started, but was interrupted by the doctor returning. She was snapping on gloves and pulling over a suture kit, clearly keen to get on with seeing to her patient.

“Right then, let’s have a look at all this shall we?” the doctor was saying as she approached his side. Kevan straightened up and reluctantly released his hold on Tamren. He didn’t feel he could delay any further given how adamant he’d been that she be seen to immediately. “We’ll need to get these trousers off so if you could step outside, Sir?”

He nodded but held Tamren’s gaze for a moment. Her face was screwed up, whether against the harsh light of the ward or the pain of her injuries, he wasn’t sure. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he reassured her. She only nodded in response and he stepped away, the rapidly drawn curtain obscuring her from view.

Kevan found himself feeling lost. All around him teams of people were moving with purpose, confident in their own skills and doing everything they could to help the people around them. There was nothing more he could do to support his guard, nothing that would help fix the sinking feeling in his chest as he considered what he’d nearly lost.

Wearily, he strode to the end of the ward. Brienne was waiting for him, her expression guarded and carefully neutral. He wasn’t sure how much Tamren had told her about their situation or how much she had inferred from their confrontation a few days ago, but as he approached he saw her features soften.

“She’s tough, Sir. She’ll be alright.”

He nodded despondently and stood uncertain of what to do for a moment. When he looked down at his hands, he realised Tamren’s blood was staining them. She’d risked her life for him, for his plan. He had to make sure this was all worth it.

He straightened up and looked to his head of security. “I want the names of every guard who was hurt, I’m going to check on them now.”

“Asha Greyjoy has arrived whilst you were . . . busy,” Brienne started, clearly stumbling to find a diplomatic way of describing his panicked rushing of Tamren to the ward. “She’s with her team and is asking after the bystanders that were brought in.”

That was good, Kevan thought. He needed to speak to her as quickly as possible. In fact, this was as good an opportunity as any to issue a joint statement decrying the violence and division of the Separatist movement. There’d been enough journalist’s present outside of the council building that he was sure there would soon be another crowd outside of the hospital.

“You will join me in seeing to the guards and then I will speak to Councillor Greyjoy.” He hesitated a moment then continued, keeping his tone as firm and authoritative as before. “And have someone stationed here - I want to know the moment the doctor is done.”

Brienne gave him a smile and nodded. “Of course, Sir. Just, one thing?”

He raised his brows in question and she gestured to his jacket. “You might need to lose that, I’m not sure it’s going to look very reassuring on a news broadcast.”

Kevan glanced down at the fabric of his suit and realised he had smears of blood all over it. He really did need to clean himself up before he attempted to handle the situation any further.

He peeled off the jacket, relieved to see his shirt was clean enough underneath.

“I’ll have your things brought here,” Brienne offered as he wiped his hands off in his suit. Kevan gave her a nod and they turned to leave the busy ward. 

 

 

 

 

It felt like hours before all the stitching was done. The Doctor had stemmed the blood loss from her head first before moving on to the laceration to her leg. As she’d thought, it was a relatively superficial if painful injury. The bigger concern for getting back to work was the mild concussion she’d picked up.

“You should ideally stay in for observation,” the doctor had argued but Tamren had been adamant she would be leaving as soon as possible. There was no way she was staying here on her own and she didn’t think there was any way Kevan would delay returning to Kings Landing any longer. The doctor eventually relented under her protestations and left to find the paperwork necessary for her to discharge herself.

As she lay back against the raised back of the bed, Tamren contemplated his earlier actions. For all his previous talk of how it would look should anyone discover they were closer than a client and guard truly should be, he hadn’t hesitated for a moment to hold her.

She closed her eyes, remembering the fear in his gaze when he’d looked down at her in his arms. If he was intent on convincing her that he didn’t want this as much as she did, he’d done a bad job of it in that moment. She tried to push the thought aside, it hurt too much to know he was denying them both the chance at some happiness together. The sooner she could remove herself from this whole mess, the better, she thought.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed but she felt like she could fall asleep at any moment – which she’d been specifically told not to do whilst alone. She opened her eyes and straightened up, running her hands over face and then wincing as she met a particularly tender spot over her cheek and the ragged split in her lip with her thumb. She tasted blood again and gave a sigh of frustration. This was ridiculous, sitting around helplessly when she should be assisting the other guards and getting ready to leave.

Tamren shuffled to the edge of the bed, contemplating how best to get herself out of here.

The doctor had helped her remove the uncomfortable stab vest but she was still dressed in a ruined, bloody shirt and a nurse had found her a pair of blue scrubs to wear rather than the torn suit trousers she’d arrived in. The combination left her feeling like she was wearing some ridiculous Halloween costume, which seemed vaguely fitting, she thought, given the number of stitches she was now sporting wouldn’t have looked out of place on a horror movie extra. Her boots were a couple of feet away and she would need to attempt to walk to get to them. She’d been given a dose of painkillers that had taken the edge off the headache and left the pain in her leg more of a dull, cramped ache than anything else. Perhaps she could make it over to her things on her own.

She slid from the bed, tentatively testing her weight on her leg. It was fairly solid but sore.

“May I come round?” she heard a familiar voice call from behind the curtain and her heart clenched. She wasn’t ready to have this conversation with him yet.

“Yes,” she replied all the same and Kevan stepped round, his features falling into a familiar frown apparently at the sight of her trying to move herself around.

He was at her side immediately, one arm sliding round her waist again. “Steady,” he said quietly. Tamren felt a flash of frustration, it seemed the only way he was comfortable with touching her was when he could do it under the excuse of supporting her.

“I can walk,” she found herself snapping.

Kevan seemed to retreat at that, leaving just an uncertain hand resting gently on her. “Not without your shoes you can’t,” he said eventually with a small, placating smile. “Sit down a moment.”

Despite her tumultuous mood, she complied, and then to her surprise he knelt at her feet, reaching for her boots and carefully sliding one onto her foot. Tamren felt a discomfort in her chest that was nothing to do with the blunt force trauma of the fight.

“The doctor said you have a concussion and that you need to rest for a few days,” he was saying as he eased the other shoe on. His voice was heavy with some uncomfortable emotion and Tamren felt her heart clench. He kept his head down, focused on what he was doing as he tied the laces. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

“There’s plenty of guards out there, I’m sure you’d find another one fast enough,” she replied quickly, trying for a joking tone to keep him at the distance she needed to be able to leave. As soon as the words left her mouth she realised she just sounded bitter and sarcastic.

His head snapped up at that, a deep frown furrowing his brow. “Don’t be ridiculous, that’s not what I meant. I would never have forgiven myself if you’d . . .” he trailed off with a shake of his head.

She knew he was trying to reach out to her and that she was overreacting, but every kind word and look of concern just seemed to put the boot into her heart even more. “I was doing my job as your guard,” she replied and was pleased with how even she kept her voice this time. “You’ve made it very clear that’s all you want from me.”

Kevan looked pained, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration and closing his eyes for a moment.

“Tamren, you know how I feel about you,” he said wearily and she felt something snap inside her.

“I don’t actually, Kevan,” she started and he looked taken aback at her words. “One minute you’re telling me I’m beneath you-”

“- I did not say that! -” he spluttered, still crouched at her feet.

“-the next you’re looking at me like you want to strip my clothes off in the middle of the gym,” she continued without acknowledging his words. Kevan looked a touch embarrassed at that, a light blush creeping up his neck. Somehow, she found that was more annoying than if he had just denied it. “So no, I don’t have a clue how you feel about me, and trust me, that hurts a lot more than this.” She gestured with one bloodied and bruised hand to the stitches around her brow.

Kevan rose to his feet looking as exhausted as she felt. He ran a hand through his hair, refusing to look at her and Tamren felt the sting of his rejection harder than any blow she’d taken during the ambush.

She slid from the bed, grimacing at the pain in her leg and steadying herself with a hand upon the cold plastic sheet, feeling a wave of desperate anger well inside her at his lack of response. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. Neither of us will have to think about this much longer anyway. I’m leaving.”

Kevan’s gaze snapped to her at that. “What?” he asked in clear dismay. “But, your contract -”

“Fuck the contract!” she said, throwing up her hands. “Gods, how many times do I have to tell you I don’t care about it?”

 

 

 

 

Tamren stumbled as she removed her hand from the bed and Kevan instinctively reached for her but she shoved his arm away angrily and righted herself. Too proud to accept his help, he watched with a growing sense of despair as she struggled across to where her ruined jacket lay abandoned over a chair and snatched it up.

“I, Tam . . .” he started and he heard her give an irritable sigh when he trailed off, struggling to find the words he wanted.

“What?” she asked, rounding on him. Kevan held her gaze, watching her expression flicker from anger to sadness. He was painfully aware of his heart beating too fast in his chest as he took her in. He couldn’t lose her, not now, not after everything they’d been through. But if going was what she wanted then what right did he have to stop her?

“If you truly want to leave, then I’ll not stand in your way,” he started, hoping to reassure her. Instead, he saw her jaw clench at his words and he realised he was getting this all hopelessly wrong. “But, I want you to know that if you do, I will miss you desperately.”

It didn’t seem to matter how many speeches he’d had to write or how many presentations he’d given to rooms full of powerful men over the years, Kevan found that trying to summon the right words to convey what he wanted to Tamren was the hardest thing he had ever done. How to make her see how much he cared? How to make her understand that no matter what, he wanted her to be free to make her own choice? All he could do was try, he knew, so he stumbled on, hoping he was making some kind of sense.

“When you first arrived, I didn’t want anything to do with you.” She looked deeply unimpressed by that and he hurried to catch up with his own thoughts. “But since then, I, well I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he admitted. “Having you beside me, it makes everything easier. I find myself waiting for you to fall into step with me whether you’re there or not. I leave every room and I look for you and when you’re not there, it feels like something integral is missing.”

She was watching him warily, unmoving but tense. She’d abandoned the bloodied jacket and was using a hand to steady herself against the wall. Despite everything, Kevan couldn’t help but smile ruefully as he recalled the last few months they’d spent together and realised it really was impossible to imagine carrying on without her.

“I don’t know how I would get through a day without your jokes and your smile and your constant distractions.” He shrugged, running out of words as he held the gaze of the woman before him and wished more than anything that he could just hold her and start this all again. He knew this was his last chance to fix this.

“I need you, Tam. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

 

 

 

 

Kevan looked utterly defeated as he finished speaking and if she could have walked to him, she would have done, but her leg was stiff and aching even through the pain killers and she didn’t trust herself to move. He must have noticed her difficulty as he approached, cautiously reaching out for her, clearly concerned she would push him away again. He held his arms open, offering his support without touching her and despite everything, Tamren wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

For a moment he just rested his hands on her waist and steadied her and then she found herself being pulled closer until he was holding her tightly against him.

“It’s your choice. But . . . Stay, please.”

The words were spoken quietly, muffled against her. Tamren gritted her teeth and fought to compose herself. She would not fall apart now, not after everything she had endured today.

She took a shaky breath and forced herself to speak. “Not as just your guard. I can’t go back to that.”

Kevan drew back to look at her and behind his steady gaze, she could see a man at war with himself.

“I can’t risk the campaign -”

“No one needs to know, just us,” she offered and Kevan gave her a sad look.

“And you’d be happy with that? Hidden away like some sordid affair?” he asked, doubt hanging on every word.

He had a point, she thought. Did she really want to have to hide this? To feel like she was some terrible secret that he couldn’t admit to?

Kevan ran a cautious hand over her cheek. She could see him taking in her injuries, his fingers cautiously skirting around the worst of the bruising and then brushing her hair back so he could see the stitching properly. Tamren knew the answer even as he spoke again.

“Every part of my life is scrutinised by the press,” he was saying, palm now settled against her face. “Every word I say is reported. Everything I do is weighed up and dissected by the news. That will include you. I told you before I don’t engage in casual relationships and I wouldn’t want to keep you tucked away in the dark forever. Even once this campaign is done, they’ll drag everything about you into the spotlight – is that really what you want?”

“I’m not ashamed of who I am,” she shot back. “Are you?”

“No! Gods, no,” he rushed to clarify. “It’s just, it’s miserable having all your faults poured over by a nation, and I don’t want that to happen to you.”

Tamren knew she should be protecting herself better than this. She should be more cautious, should never have fully let him in. But it was impossible to keep everything in check when he held her like this and when he was giving her that gentle, steady look that was usually so calming but now left her heart racing.

“I’m not sure what part of me ending up with a head full of stitches fighting someone for you still requires me to clarify this, but I happen to think you’re worth it.”

Kevan didn’t respond for a moment, a look of something like surprise lighting his features and then he gave a slight shake of his head. He still seemed to be weighing something up, battling with himself. Tamren held her breath, waiting for him to tell her no and that would be the end of them. She held his gaze - at the very least he would look her in the eye when he turned her away.

“Seven knows I’ll never understand why,” he whispered.

Before she could respond, Tamren felt the sudden insistent vibration of his phone in his pocket.

Kevan didn’t react at first, only tensed in apparent frustration at the intrusion.

“Are you going to answer that?” she asked. He paused, then as the buzzing continued he removed his hand from her face and reached into his pocket.

They both looked down at the same moment to see who was interrupting. Tamren felt a grim sense of finality settle over her as she saw Tywin’s name flash across the screen.

Kevan’s eyes met hers, something like an apology written in his expression.

His phone continued to vibrate in his palm as she waited, watching him carefully. “Well?” she asked.

He hesitated a moment, then gave her a slight smile.

“I think it can wait.”

In one decisive movement, Kevan sent the call to voicemail, dropped his phone into his pocket and kissed her.

Tamren gasped in surprise at the sudden contact. The kiss was tentative and measured and it left her wanting so much more. She tightened her hold on him and kissed him harder – too hard in fact, as she felt her split lip sting.

She must have grimaced enough for him to notice as Kevan drew back sharply and she felt the loss of him like a weight on her chest.

“Sorry, I didn’t think -” he started,

She cut him off, grasping the lapels of his jacket and leaning in again, crashing her lips back to his without care for the pain now.

 

 

 

 

Her kiss was desperate and intense and though he found himself suddenly overwhelmed, Kevan returned it in kind - every bit of fear and uncertainty pushed aside as she sighed into him. How had he ever doubted this?

Tamren’s hands wandered into his hair as she deepened the kiss and for a moment he almost forgot where they were until he realised how heavily she was leaning into him.

Kevan pulled away briefly, doing his best to catch his breath and intending to suggest she take a seat and rest her leg. But before he could, there was the brief sound of approaching footsteps and then the curtain was drawn back enough for the Doctor to step round.

They both moved awkwardly at the same time, Tamren disentangling her arms from around his neck and Kevan trying to both support her weight and not look like he’d been frantically kissing her only a moment before.

The Doctor raised two thin brows at them both and Kevan hoped he didn’t look quite as flushed as he felt.

“Your paperwork. Please sign here,” she said, holding out a clipboard to Tamren and tapping a pen against it. His guard took the proffered items, balancing herself awkwardly on her injured leg and leaning on him. Kevan, his heart still beating hard in his chest, kept a steadying arm around her waist as she scribbled a signature on the discharge form.

“You can tell your boss its light duties only for the next few days,” the doctor continued once she had handed the clipboard back. Kevan felt a twinge of discomfort as the young woman glanced at him for a moment before focusing on Tamren again. “Physical activity should be kept to a minimum. Do you have someone you can stay with for the next twenty four hours?”

Tamren’s eyes met his own and they both paused for a moment uncertain how much they could safely say.

“You have doctor patient confidentiality,” the Doctor cut in, exasperated, and he felt guilty for hesitating to speak.

“I’ll be there,” he replied firmly. The guilt was somewhat assuaged when he caught Tamren’s grateful smile before she did her best to hide it behind her usual professional expression.

“Right, well then you’re free to leave,” the Doctor continued, apparently completely uninterested in that particular admission. “Any sign of dizziness, nausea or confusion and you’re to get straight back to the emergency room,” she added. This time Kevan caught the hint of humour to her piercing gaze as she turned it on him again. “Your entrance was rather unorthodox but I’m afraid hospital policy is for patients to leave in a wheelchair.”

Tamren gave a quiet laugh at that and Kevan felt any remaining worry fade at the reassuring sound.

“Well, we’re going to have to be a bit more careful than that,” she whispered as the Doctor left. Kevan nodded and felt himself smile as he noted the mischievous glint that had been missing for so long from her gaze suddenly back and focused on him in a way that left him feeling warm. Keeping this secret might not be what he truly wanted, but it certainly felt worth it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been a nightmare and started getting too long so I’ve split it in two. Chapter 18 should be done relatively soon.

The cold, salty air of Pyke whipped around her as she awkwardly climbed the steps of the plane and Tamren couldn’t help the shiver that ran through her. She’d showered and changed at the hospital and though a crisp white shirt and fresh suit had given her back some sense of control after everything that had happened, it wasn’t doing much against the cutting wind.

She slowed a little as the pain in her leg throbbed with each step. A warm hand rested briefly against her lower back and she glanced over her shoulder. Kevan was close behind – close enough none of the crew stood in the open doorway of the plane nor the guards still on the runway tarmac would be able to see the contact. He raised his brows in question and she gave him a reassuring smile.

They had not been granted a chance to speak since the doctor had left them. There’d been police statements to give, journalists to avoid and of course, Tywin had rung again. It had taken quite some time for the Government party to make their exit from the hospital and as such, it was now the early hours of the morning. Tamren had barely had a moment to pause and collect her thoughts and as she boarded the flight, she could feel the emotion and stress of the day settle over her in a fog of exhaustion.

Brienne was already on board when she stepped onto the plane, along with Podrick and two of the other guards that had been injured in the scuffle. One was sporting a black eye, the other had his arm in a sling and everyone looked just as relieved as Tamren felt to be leaving the Iron Islands mostly intact.

Whilst the rest of the guards filed on board behind her, Tamren manoeuvred herself with some difficulty into one of the leather seats and sat back, letting her eyes drift closed immediately.

“Are you going to be using the office, Sir?” she heard Brienne ask. The cabin door thumped shut and the pilot’s voice cut through the intercom as the engine thrummed into life. She could feel the vibration of it through her seat and the dry chill of the air con.

“No, I’ll be staying here. You’re welcome to it if necessary.” Kevan’s reply came from somewhere close by and when she cracked an eye open, she realised he had taken the seat beside her.

She saw Brienne give him a nod. “I’ll be in there writing up my incident report then if you need me.”

With that, the head of security left them, heading to the far end of the cabin, passing the other guards strapping themselves into their seats ready for take-off.

Kevan turned to her as the plane began to taxi down the runway, slowly picking up speed.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, voice low.

Usually, Tamren would have found the constant checking on her wellbeing to be frustrating and worthy of a sarcastic response. Instead, she just felt a tug of affection as she held his gaze and the memory of frantic, passionate kisses rose in her mind. If there hadn’t been quite so many of her colleagues present, she’d have lent in for another.

Though Kevan had seemed reluctant to leave her side as they had made their way out of the hospital, the presence of so many journalists had made it necessary for Brienne to be the one to assist her to the car and they had travelled to the airport separately. After all, there was no good reason for an injured guard to be taking up the space of an able bodied team member beside him. In fact, there wouldn’t be any justifiable reason for her to be around him much at all until she was back to full fitness and able to work again. Keeping a respectable front on everything was becoming frustrating already, Tamren thought.

“Tired more than anything,” she replied to him eventually and Kevan nodded agreement. “I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait to get back to Parliament.”

He laughed quietly at that then glanced down the cabin to the rest of the guards. Tamren followed his gaze. Swann and Podrick were watching films and most of the others had already reclined their seats and were getting some sleep.

When she looked back to Kevan, his gaze was resting on her once more, a look in his eyes that she couldn’t place. The large, comfortable seats of the private jet didn’t allow for the closeness of the charter flight they had shared back from Winterfell city and Tamren had never wished more for the cramped confines of economy class. No one was paying them any attention but as much as she wanted to take his hand, they couldn’t risk being seen reaching for one another

“I know we . . . well, resolved some things,” he said, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “But we should probably talk about this a little more, once you’re feeling up to it.”

Tamren could think of better things they could spend their time doing but she knew he was right. It wasn’t going to be easy to make this work, she’d accepted that when she had agreed to stay.

“Now is fine, if there’s something on your mind?” she offered.

 

 

 

Kevan watched as Tamren bit back a yawn, the sight provoking one from himself as well. There were several things he felt he needed to say, they’d been playing on his mind ever since the doctor had interrupted them. This really wasn’t the moment for it though, he thought.

“Tomorrow,” he reassured her. “Or, later today. I’m not sure anymore.”

Tamren was busy reclining her seat beside him and Kevan followed suit. He’d wondered when taking the empty chair next to her if he was risking the other guards talking or wondering about their closeness. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he’d realised it was all rather pointless given Brienne and Podrick had witnessed him carrying Tamren through the hospital ward. Besides, he reasoned, she’d been his personal guard for long enough that everyone was used to seeing them together. If anything it might have seemed more strange to distance himself.

He tried not to worry about it all too much and lay back, glancing over at Tamren as she settled into her seat with a sigh and her eyes fell shut. He wasn’t a man usually prone to strong emotions, but after everything that had happened, the urge to wrap her up in his arms and hold onto her was almost overwhelming. He had to settle for watching over her as she drifted off to sleep, her breathing slowing and a relaxed look taking the place of the almost perpetual grimace she had been wearing as she’d boarded the flight.

He tried to follow suit but despite how tired he felt, sleep was elusive. Instead, he spent most of the flight lying next to his guard, frustrated at how close she was and yet unable to touch her, the memory of her lips on his own playing over and over in his mind.

Eventually, exhaustion caught up with him and Kevan managed to snatch a few brief moments of sleep on and off throughout the flight. Turbulence woke him once but Tamren remained still next to him and then not long after he had finally managed to drift off again, he was woken by the sound of the intercom and the pilot letting them know they would soon be landing. When he looked out of the window, feeling groggy and a little confused, Kevan realised the sun was already up, a red glow shining off the heavy clouds around them.

He straightened up in his chair and motioned Brienne over. The head of security had been sat with the rest of her team but rose the moment he summoned her, moving to a seat closer to him for landing.

“The Doctor informed me Ms Rivers should not be left unaccompanied for today,” he started, voice low so as not to wake Tamren beside him. The topic was a difficult one to broach and Kevan was considering his words carefully. Luckily, Brienne it seemed was already a step ahead of him.

“I’m off shift until later this evening. Tamren could stay with me for today,” she offered and Kevan felt a wash of grateful relief at that. As much as he wished to stay with her, the reality was that he would have a busy day ahead of him and she needed to rest.

He nodded and thanked Brienne. He hoped Tamren would understand.

His guard woke just as the plane touched down and Kevan saw her stretch and sit up, eyes screwed up against the sunlight streaming in through the window.

“What time is it?” she asked, stifling a yawn and blinking over at him.

Kevan glanced at his phone. There was an unread message from Tywin there already and, he realised with a guilty jolt, he had missed a call from his son.

“Half six,” he replied, quickly trying to calculate the time difference between Westeros and Qarth. If he called back on his way to Parliament, Kevan thought he might just be able to catch Lancel in time.

“Great,” he heard Tamren mumble. “I’m due back on shift at nine.”

Kevan frowned at her as she rose. “You’re due to get some rest,” he replied as they were joined by Brienne whilst the rest of the guards filed past them.

“There’s room at my place,” Brienne cut in and when Tamren looked like she might argue with that, the head of security continued, “It’s that or the sofa in the security office.”

Tamren gave them both an exasperated look but either she was too tired to argue or not nearly as put out at the suggestion as she made out because she didn’t take it any further.

They disembarked quickly, everyone on board keen to get back to parliament or home to their families. Kevan envied them. He’d long missed the comfort of lying next to someone after a hard day and he’d give anything to be able to fall into bed with Tamren for a few hours of proper sleep. It didn’t seem right, to have come so close to losing her and now to have to part so soon.

Even the simple pleasure of kissing her goodbye would be denied to him with so many people present. Instead, the best Kevan could manage was to extend a hand as they stood beside the waiting cars.

“Thank you for your support, Ms Rivers,” he said, gripping her hand tight and hoping she knew he would do more if he could. “If there is anything you need, please let me know.”

He caught the amusement in her eyes at the formality as she returned his handshake.

“I will, Sir.”

With that, she and Brienne were making their way over to one of the waiting vehicles and Kevan found himself being shown to another by Podrick.

 

 

 

Brienne’s flat wasn’t far from Parliament. In fact, Tamren realised, as she began to recognise streets she had driven down weeks ago, they were on the edge of the financial district and not far from the safe house Kevan, Tywin and the rest of the first family had been taken to during the bomb scare.

The streets looked different now. Although the riots themselves seemed to have ceased, the detritus was still lying discarded around them. Frayed banners hung from balconies and smashed placards littered the pavements amongst rubble and glass. The clean-up would take days but a tense peace seemed to have descended over the city finally.

Their car turned off a side road before they reached the residential streets that they’d been stationed on before and instead, Tamren found them drawing to a halt outside of a yellow bricked terrace house on a busy street not far from a park. It was a leafy, vibrant area of the city if a little tightly packed. Still, after the grey gloom and cold of Pyke, Kings Landing seemed to positively glow in the early morning sun.

She slid out of the car, shouldering her rucksack for a moment before Brienne tugged it from her hand with an exasperated look. Tamren rolled her eyes. It wasn’t just Kevan who was fussing over her since her injuries and as much as she found it all fairly ridiculous, it was something of a novelty to have so many people around her concerned for her wellbeing.

Brienne unlocked the door as Tamren dodged early morning joggers and climbed a couple of steps before moving into a narrow hallway.

“Bathroom is on your left, the bedroom is down the hall and the lounge and kitchen are just through here,” Brienne was saying, a step ahead of Tamren and hurriedly tidying the shoes and coats in the hallway as she went.

Tamren followed her into the living room, taking in Brienne’s flat with interest. There weren’t huge amounts of personal effects around but it was a warm, welcoming space. The walls were painted a bright yellow across three sides and bare sandstone around the fireplace. The kitchenette area took up most of the back wall and a comfortable if worn looking brown leather sofa sat in the centre of the room. Tamren dropped down onto it heavily and began removing her boots.

“What are you doing?”

She looked up to see Brienne towering over her with a frown, hands on her hips.

“Going to sleep?” Tamren offered.

Brienne gave her incredulous look. “Not here you’re not. Gods, if Kevan found out I’d made you sleep on the sofa he’d have me fired!”

Tamren snorted at that. “I’m not going to tell him.”

Brienne didn’t reply at first, looking torn. Tamren was grateful for her friend’s concern, but Brienne was at least a foot too tall to be sleeping on the sofa herself and Tamren already felt guilty at taking up her time and space.

“I’ll be fine. This is far more comfortable than half the places I’ve slept recently and definitely better than the camp bed in my room.”

The head of security still looked unconvinced but after a few grumbles, she left Tamren to it, heading back down the corridor to her own room with the promise that she would be in to check on her in a couple of hours.

Tamren settled into the sofa, pulling a blanket over herself and tucking a cushion behind her head.

Just as she was starting to drift off, she heard her phone buzz once. She reached for her jacket, carefully folded over the arm of the sofa and withdrew the device, grinning to herself as she saw Kevan’s name pop up. The message was brief but it left her feeling strangely content all the same.

_-Sleep well x_

 

When Tamren next awoke it was to the warmth of the early afternoon sun striking her face through a gap in the curtains and the sound of something sizzling away in a pan a few feet away. As she lay still a moment, she revelled in the feeling of waking refreshed finally – if still sore and stiff.

Whatever was cooking smelt incredible. Tamren felt her stomach groan and realised she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten. She’d been too tired to take advantage of the food on offer on the flight and prior to the summit, nerves had prevented her from consuming much.

She sat up and glanced around her. Brienne was moving around the kitchen space, spatula in one hand, plate in the other. There was something faintly bizarre about seeing the stoic and intimidating head of security in the midst of cooking and Tamren felt herself grinning when Brienne turned.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” her friend started, apparently not noticing Tamren’s amusement. “I’ve got to get back to Parliament in an hour.” She turned back to the stove and started prodding at whatever was in the pan before glancing back over her shoulder at Tamren who had stood and was stretching her aching limbs

“Your phone rang whilst you were asleep.”

Tamren dropped her arms to her side and reached for her jacket, still lying over the sofa. She fished in the pocket for her phone.

“Kevan?”

Her eyes snapped to Brienne at that. She was wearing a knowing look, a hint of mischief to her gaze. Tamren rolled her eyes and glanced back at her phone with a frown. There were two missed calls from an unknown number and a voicemail waiting for her. Something about that made her feel uneasy.

“I’m just going to get some air for a minute,” she muttered, shuffling past Brienne and feeling her injured leg protest at the sudden movements.

“Fine, but food will be ready in two minutes,” Brienne called as Tamren made her way down the hallway and slipped out the front door.

It was just as warm outside as it had looked from the living room and Tamren sat on the edge of the step, taking just a moment to enjoy the feeling of the sun on her face. Once she had composed herself she dialled the mailbox and waited for the call to connect.

_“Hey, Tam, it’s me.”_

Tamren felt her heart clench as she immediately recognised the voice of her brother.

_“I just saw the news from Pyke . . . I uhh, I wanted to check you’re ok? I called the hospital, they said you checked out. So, yeah, please give me a call.”_

Typical Tom, she thought. She’d been trying to reach him for days about his missed payments and now he rang and didn’t even mention them.

“ _Also, when did you start working for the government? If there’s any jobs going, I want to know.”_

She laughed under her breath at that. Some things never changed.

_“Anyway, I hope you’re ok. Ring me.”_

The message ended and Tamren gave a sigh of frustration. She didn’t have the time to deal with this right now, she thought. She needed to eat, have another shower and get herself back to parliament – hopefully to Kevan. Then she might be able to think clearly enough to deal with her brother.

She dashed off a quick message to Tom, reassuring him she was fine and would call him later that day, then rose and headed back inside.

When she re-entered the kitchen-come-dining room, Brienne had set two plates of omelette down on the table alongside steaming mugs of tea. Tamren didn’t think she’d ever been more grateful for food in her life.

As she took a seat, from the corner of her eye, she noticed the television was on, the news channel relaying footage of Joffrey giving a speech on the steps of Parliament. Brienne, apparently following her gaze, reached for the remote and took the TV off mute.

“We are proud to extend the hand of unity and friendship to the Iron Islands in spite of all our troubles. As always, we are stronger together than apart and we believe that this vote will put an end to the violence that has disrupted life for so many, all over the seven kingdoms.”

The tight shot of Joffrey widened to include the line of government ministers stood behind him. Tamren spotted Kevan stood amongst them, focused intently on his nephew’s speech. He stood tall and apparently relaxed and she was pleased to see him looking considerably more refreshed than when they had parted ways earlier that morning.

“Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to all involved in putting a stop to the assassination attempt on a member of our party,” Joffrey said and Tamren saw the young Premier looking down at his notes as he spoke.

“Nice touch,” Brienne muttered. “Maybe we’ll get a bonus.”

Tamren laughed. “I seriously doubt he wrote that.” She had a good idea who likely would have done.

She went back to her meal but didn’t take her eyes off the screen. She was only half listening as Joffrey continued to speak, her gaze drawn back to the grey haired, sturdy figure stood behind the Premier, keeping a watchful eye over proceedings.

“I take it you two made up then?” Brienne asked.

Tamren took another mouthful of her food and when it was clear Brienne expected an answer, she shrugged noncommittally. Brienne gave her a pointed look, clearly not fooled.

“We’re back to a good working relationship, yes,” Tamren replied evasively. Brienne gave a short laugh.

“Right. I’m sure Mr Lannister would carry any of us through a hospital like that,” she scoffed.

Tamren chewed thoughtfully. She’d promised Kevan they would keep whatever was happening between them to themselves but it seemed Brienne had already put the pieces together. There wasn’t much point in lying but she couldn’t quite bring herself to confirm her friend’s suspicions. She’d have to take a different approach.

“If you can pretend you didn’t see that,” she started, keeping her tone light, “then I can pretend that isn’t Jamie’s jacket that’s hanging up in the hallway.”

Brienne turned an interesting shade of red at that.

“Point taken,” the head of security muttered, rapidly eating another forkful of omelette.

 

 

 

 

Kevan felt his phone buzz in his pocket as he walked away from the podium, the questions of the assembled journalists and rapid shutter fire of cameras ringing in the air behind him. He dug it out of his pocket as he reached the great glass doors and felt a sudden jolt in his stomach as he saw Tamren’s name flash across the screen. He checked over his shoulder before opening the message, fighting back a smile.

- _nice speech, but not quite up to your standards yesterday_

He paused a moment, considering his reply and then was tapping away as the crowd of minsters flocked into the lobby around him.

_-It’s all in the delivery. How are you?_

The text box flashed to indicate she was typing and Kevan waited impatiently for her response. Around him, the noise level in the lobby ebbed as the rest of the cabinet ministers made their way back to their offices to finish up a busy afternoon’s work. There was much he still needed to be getting on with himself, but Tamren’s message gave him a brief moment of respite amongst all the work.

_-I’m fine, just needed some sleep. You?_

He didn’t get a chance to reply again as he felt a heavy hand clap him on the shoulder, Tywin appearing at his side. Kevan hurriedly blanked the screen and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

“Good work,” his brother said. “That seemed to hit all the right notes with press. We’ll review our polling later tonight but I’m confident from the way the news are covering things that we’ll have seen a positive upwards swing.”

Tywin had been in a buoyant mood ever since Kevan had returned to the Capital, even going so far as to embrace him when he had entered his brother’s study, tired and groggy and desperate for bed early that morning. The sudden, unprecedented show of emotion from his older brother had only served to remind Kevan of just how close he had come to not walking away from the talks – and who had borne the brunt of the attack. Even as he had eventually collapsed into bed after the debrief with Tywin, his thoughts had been with Tamren, wondering how she was and whether she was comfortable enough, guilt eating away at him for not being with her.

Since awakening after only a few hours of blissful rest, he hadn’t had much time to think of anything but the impending election. The campaign was in full swing now the last of the protestors had left the streets and they were moving into the final weeks before the vote.

“Father, are you free to cover the plans for this weekend’s dinner?”

Kevan turned to see Cersie sliding up alongside Tywin. She kept her gaze on her father, only a tight smile in his own direction to acknowledge he was there. She had seemed on edge all day and Kevan wondered what exactly she was planning.

Tywin looked exasperated. Kevan was sure there were a great many things his brother would rather be doing than reviewing the guest list of a donor’s dinner party, but then this was an important event for the campaign.

Eventually, Tywin gave a curt nod to his daughter and motioned to Kevan to step ahead of him. Cersie raised an eyebrow.

“Of course, if you are still recovering from your travel, Uncle, there is no need for you to join us.” Her tone was polite but icy and Kevan didn’t miss the patronising hint to it.

“That’s kind of you to be so concerned for me,” he replied with his own tight smile. “However, I’m sure this won’t be particularly taxing after everything else I’ve dealt with recently.”

He couldn’t have been more wrong about that, Kevan mused as he sat in Tywin’s office an hour later alongside his brother and niece.

“They have little influence and less money,” Cersie was arguing as Tywin scowled at her across the desk. “Better to give the table to someone younger, someone with more social media presence, someone who can be a draw for the press.”

Tywin looked unimpressed.

“I’m not interested in the papers, I’m interested in finances,” he growled.

Kevan felt like banging his head on the desk. They’d been at this for what felt like forever.

As they continued to argue he ran a weary hand over his face and reached for his phone. Two messages were waiting from him, one from Tamren and one from his son. He tapped on Lancel’s first. Though he had managed to reach him for a brief chat earlier that morning, his son still didn’t seem particularly reassured of his safety. Kevan could understand why, he’d been treated to enough replays of the assassination attempt on the rolling news channels and in social media feeds that if the images hadn’t already been seared into his mind, they would be by now.

He tapped out a brief message, reassuring his son he was quite well and to enjoy his travels, then opened Tamren’s message from earlier on that afternoon. He’d not had a chance to respond and was feeling a little guilty about it.

_-I’m well but busy, thank you. Cersie is intent on giving me as bad a headache as I’d imagine you have_

He hit send then glanced over at his family. They were still engrossed in their row and apparently hadn’t noticed his lack of focus on the task at hand. When he looked back to his phone, Tamren was typing. Clearly she wasn’t that busy either, he thought. That was good, at least she was getting some time to recuperate.

_-I’ll save you some painkillers. My head is fine but the noise in here isn’t helping_

He frowned at that, a little baffled at her words.

_-Why? Is Brienne having building work done?_

There was a pause, then Tamren was typing. And then she wasn’t, then she was again. Kevan watched, feeling increasingly more confused as this continued on and off for a little while as she apparently considered her reply.

_-I’m in the security office – work to do_

He felt an odd surge of something like excitement at first, knowing that she was in the building. Then a moment later concern overtook that. He dashed off a quick message.

_-You’re meant to be resting!_

Tywin turned to him just as he hit send.

“Anything to add to this discussion, Kevan?” he asked. His tone was disinterested but his gaze piercing.

Kevan looked between his brother and Cersie with a frown. He was tired of this endless arguing round in circles.

“The Starks are one the most well respected families in the North,” he stated firmly. “Their presence will sure up the vote and send a positive message to other industry leaders. They will be attending.”

Cersie glared daggers at him but Kevan did not drop her gaze as he continued.

“However, I agree some additional positive press coverage would not go amiss in ensuring a younger voter turn out. Add whoever you have in mind to the list and I will ask the security team to run a background check.”

It was Tywin’s turn to give a derisive snort but he didn’t add anything further.

“Now, if we’re settled on that, shall we move on?” Kevan suggested, putting the final word on the issue.

Both father and daughter looked unimpressed with the compromise but they did begrudgingly change the subject. Kevan sat back with some satisfaction and hoped this wouldn’t take much longer.

 

 

 

 

The noise in the security office dropped off as the rest of the guards who had been receiving the briefing before the evening shift began to file out of the door and to their assigned posts. The mood in the office was buoyant despite the difficult day they’d had in the Iron Islands previously. With the riots over and the vote secured, the risks to their charges had significantly decreased and everyone was relieved to get back to some sense of normality.

Tamren watched a little enviously as her colleagues left, jostling and joking as they went – all this sitting around was getting to her already.

Once the room had cleared, she was left with Jamie and Brienne who were occupying the main desk and planning arrangements for the Premier’s upcoming speeches.

“Anything else I can do to help?” she offered. Strictly speaking, she was off duty entirely until tomorrow but she knew she’d be bored if she didn’t get stuck into something. That was the point she’d argued with Brienne when insisting she attend the meeting rather than heading straight for her own room.

Brienne passed her a laptop and motioned to the sofa in the corner. Tamren took it and shuffled over to the couch. Her leg was aching dully but not causing too many issues. Besides the concussion, she was confident she’d be ready to get back to full duties before the week was out.

“If you’re insisting on sticking around then you can review the security for the donor’s dinner,” Brienne said and Tamren threw herself into the work gratefully.

She was tapping away at the laptop when there was a knock at the door and when she glanced up, she felt her breath catch as she met Kevan’s eye.

He stepped into the room with a quick smile in her direction, carrying a folder tucked under one arm. Tamren found herself left feeling a little ridiculous at how pleased she was to see him and did her best to supress the grin she could feel breaking out.

“Afternoon, Sir,” Brienne said to him from behind the desk. “Can I help with something?”

Tamren saw Kevan glance over to the head of security and he raised a hand, gesturing to the folder

“We’ve just finalised the guest list for the donor’s dinner. I wanted to talk through some things regarding the event, if someone is available to go through it?”

He’d asked the question of Brienne but Tamren caught his eye again. She knew this could have easily been an email discussion rather than something requiring a personal visit.

Brienne clearly clocked that too as she gave a nod. “Tamren is actually putting together the security plan for the event.” She looked over to Tamren with a knowing smile. “Do you have time to run through that with Mr Lannister now?”

“I’d be happy to,” she replied, grateful her friend had the sense to provide them with some cover for spending time together.

Brienne rose from her seat. “Excellent, well we’ve actually got something else to be doing,” she said, looking to Jamie.

The younger man looked surprised at that pronouncement.

“Have we?”

“Yes,” Brienne replied, her tone brooking no argument and to Tamren’s amusement, Jamie rose from his seat without further question, following Brienne from the room. That confirmed that particular suspicion then, she thought.

Once they had both left, Kevan gave her an exasperated look.

“As I said, you are meant to be resting.”

His tone might have been more effective had he not been smiling as he took a seat beside her on the sofa. Tamren gave him a grin.

“I’m sat down aren’t I?”

Kevan frowned, the deep lines at the corner of his eyes crinkling in frustration. Gods she desperately wanted to kiss him again, she thought.

“I was hoping you’d take a day off,” Kevan replied. “The doctor made it quite clear you were to rest and recover. You really shouldn’t be -”

“Kevan?” she cut in. He trailed off, raising his brows in question. “Unless you’re having second thoughts about this, can you stop worrying and just kiss me?”

He looked a little abashed for a moment then gave a quiet laugh and lent in to her.

His lips brushed her own once gently, then again, firmer than before, and then his hand was sliding into her hair and he was kissing her with a passion she never would have expected from the usually stoic businessman. Anything else Tamren had been feeling was rapidly replaced by the growing heat of desire blossoming in her chest as Kevan’s mouth moved over her own.

When he stopped for breath, Kevan didn’t move away, instead resting his forehead against her own.

“No second thoughts, I promise,” he murmured. As if she needed him to confirm that after the way he had just kissed her. Tamren could feel her heart hammering her chest in the same way it would if she had run a set of sprints and right now, all she could think about was how much she needed to be closer to him.

Kevan apparently had other ideas though. “Only . . . a few things to discuss,” he continued, straightening up. Tamren set the laptop down at her feet and he took her hand.

“No one else can know – I know,” she started, hoping to pre-empt most of his concerns and reassure him she was taking them just a seriously. She was well aware how much was at stake, for both of them.

“For now,” Kevan clarified quickly. “Just until the end of the campaign and then I’ll find a way of . . .” he trailed off with a shrug. Tamren cocked her head and cut him a grin.

“Of breaking it to your brother that you’re sleeping with the staff?”

He frowned at that and seemed to struggle for words momentarily.

“I do wish you would stop referring to yourself as that,” he said eventually, sounding exasperated. “Besides, we’re not . . . I mean, we haven’t actually . . .”

“Yet,” Tamren replied with a suggestive raise of the eyebrows. She laughed at the look he gave her in return, then had a sudden sobering thought. “Wait, are you saying we can’t until the election is done? Is that what this is about?”

“Well,” Kevan started, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to, but perhaps we should consider -”

Tamren cut him off.

“You cannot kiss me like that and then tell me I have to wait for weeks to get you into bed.”

Kevan’s jaw dropped and he spluttered over whatever he had intended to say next. Tamren almost laughed again at how flustered he looked. It felt good to get back to their old routine of teasing and flirting after so much time spent on edge around one another.

“We’re not going to get many opportunities to spend time alone without, well, arousing suspicions,” he managed eventually. She bit her lip and mentally congratulated herself for not cracking another joke at his choice of words. “People will talk, Tam. I’m just concerned about the assumptions they will make about our relationship. I am quite a bit older than you and that’s before we even get to the fact I’m your client.”

Tamren sighed at his words. She thought they’d been over this already. He was right of course, he’d always had been about how difficult this would be and the obstacles in their path. Each of them had been in the back of her mind ever since she’d first acknowledged her growing attraction to him. They were precisely why she’d never considered engaging in a relationship with a client before.

“I know,” she offered him, dropping the joking tone finally. “Half of them will think you took advantage of your position, the rest will think I’m after your money and power. And whilst, honestly, I don’t care what anyone thinks, I get it, we have to be careful.”

Kevan remained silent whilst she continued to speak. “You’re right, if we’re going to risk our reputations then we both have to be sure before we tell anyone about this. So let’s just see what happens if the right moment arises. Fair?”

Tamren hoped that was pragmatic enough to win him over and it seemed she’d been successful when he shook his head with a smile that softened the worry lines across his brow before leaning in for another brief kiss.

“I’m not very good at saying no to you,” he said and Tamren finally did laugh at that. “But we need to be sensible about this,” Kevan added. “I’m afraid we’ll have to continue with the formalities when others are around.”

“Yes, Sir,” Tamren murmured against his lips before drawing back. “No public displays of affection, no swapping shifts to get assigned on with you.”

“Right,” he agreed. “There are too many blasted cameras in this building for you to be in and out of my office and I can’t keep turning up here to see you. We’ll just have to make the most of the time we’re given.”

Tamren reluctantly agreed. It was better than nothing, she thought.


	18. Chapter 18

Almost as soon as they had agreed the rules, they both began finding ways to break them.

It was Kevan that cracked first, surprising himself. When he’d left her in the security office that evening, eventually realising he’d been in there far longer than could be reasonably justified, he’d been fairly confident he could simply make the best of the moments they had. But after a day of no contact beyond text messages, he quickly realised that just wasn’t enough.

It started with nothing more than a brief touch of hands in the lift when they ended up crowded in there together.

It was mid-morning and Tamren was lounging against the back wall when he entered, accompanied by the health secretary and an assembled group of clerks, staff and his guard for the day, a surlier than usual Meryn Trant.

Pleasantly surprised to see her, Kevan made sure to find his way to the rear of the lift and position himself close beside her.

“Ms Rivers, good morning. I’m glad to see you on your feet again,” he offered, doing his best to appear interested in the email he was meant to be reading on his phone rather than the woman now stood next to him.

She acknowledged him with a polite nod. “Thank you, Sir.”

The lift began to fill up, enough staff slipping in that he felt it wouldn’t look out of place to shuffle in a little closer to her. Her shoulder brushed up against his own and Kevan was immediately aware of the warmth of her.

As the lift rose, he let the back of his hand rest against hers, the contact hidden by the press of bodies around them. He paused, but nobody turned, everyone awkwardly avoiding eye contact in the cramped confines of the lift, so he let his fingers entwine with her own. He supressed an involuntary smile as he felt Tamren squeeze his hand for a moment and then the doors were sliding open, everyone emptying out into the corridor and they released one another immediately before going their separate ways without another word.

They continued on and off like this for a few days, managing to snatch odd moments of conversation here and there, which quickly became a hasty brush of hands when passing each other in the hall, then a hurried kiss pressed to her cheek when he’d filed into a meeting room she was stood sentry outside of. Until one morning it all escalated very quickly.

He knew Tamren had only been back on full duties for a day – they’d been discussing it via text until quite late the previous night - so Kevan was surprised when he made his way into the lobby to see her apparently waiting for him at the front desk.

“Morning, Sir,” she greeted him, making no attempt to hide her grin. Kevan suspected she was just as pleased about finally getting the opportunity to get out of Parliament as much as she was happy to see him.

“I thought you were staying on assignments within the building until next week?” he asked with a frown. He knew the doctor had signed her off for work again, but it seemed rather too soon for her to be escorting him away from the relative safety of the government offices.

Tamren gave him an affectionate if exasperate look and fell into step beside him as they strode down the steps to the waiting car. He had to admit, it felt good to have her at his side again but Kevan was painfully reminded of what had happened the last time they had been together like this for work. Though she was walking without a limp now and she had assured him her wounds were healing quickly, she was still carrying stitches from the assault.

“We’re down a few guards at the moment. One’s still out recovering from a dislocated shoulder, there’s a handful on leave and it meant you were going to be allocated Blount for the day.”

Kevan raised his eyebrows at her as she opened the car door for him. He paused for a moment, lowering his voice so they wouldn’t be overheard by the waiting driver.

“Tam, we agreed you wouldn’t swap shifts,” he reminded her.

Tamren’s expression was more serious than he had expected when she replied. “Given what happened the last time I trusted him with your safety, it felt worth the risk asking Brienne to rota me on.”

Kevan held her gaze a moment, she really did look concerned about it and he felt an all too familiar desire to embrace her at that.

“Whilst I appreciate the concern, I’m sure a strategy meeting with the PR firm will be perfectly safe,” he replied before taking his seat in the back of the vehicle. Tamren shut the door and then a moment later was sliding into the seat beside him.

The drive over went smoothly and Kevan enjoyed having the opportunity to catch up with her. Though the chauffeur was present and they both had to be cautious of their words, it was the longest they’d been granted together since he had come to the security office to see her.

It was always such a relief to be able to relax into easy conversation with her and take a few minutes to laugh and unwind, Tamren interjecting with jokes and sarcastic remarks when he moaned about something to do with the campaign or his workload. There was more to complain about than usual given Cersie’s odd uptick in antagonistic behaviour all week. Kevan knew she was still seething over his decision making role regarding the donors dinner, but there were moments where he almost thought she was disappointed the assassin hadn’t succeeded. He grouchily suggested as much to Tamren.

“Well if it comes to it, I did once offer to put in a flying tackle on her if necessary,” she replied with a laugh as they pulled up to the PR firm’s office. It was a towering corporate high-rise that Kevan had always found rather ugly and without any character.

He hummed agreement, gathering up his files as the car slowed to a halt.

“As I recall, when you suggested as much she had just emptied most of a bottle of wine over me.”

Tamren was still smiling as they stepped out and into a light breeze. He waited for her to round the vehicle to join him before they crossed the carpark, the two guards that had been in the car ahead of them on the drive falling into step a few paces behind.

“And I seem to remember you saying you would buy me a drink, Sir” she added.

Kevan gave her a smile as the glass doors were held open for them and they strode into the lobby of Baelish corporate headquarters.

“I haven’t forgotten,” he reassured her.

 

 

 

Tamren had been excited to finally get out of Parliament for a few hours and to spend some time with Kevan but the enthusiasm quickly waned as she found herself stood once more at attention in a corridor, listening to the muffled voices of the PR firm’s campaign team drift through the door. Every now and then she could pick out his voice and each time it served to distract her as she thought over how much had changed between them in the last week.

She had been pleasantly surprised at the way Kevan had been so obviously keen to find time with her. She’d thought, after all his worries, that he would keep his distance and remain stoic, when in fact, he had pushed the boundaries of their rules rather quicker than she had. Tamren grinned to herself at her post, biting it back and straightening up as a group of staff passed the meeting room. There was something exciting about all the sneaking around, even if it was frustrating not to be able to get him alone as much as she would have liked.

Her reminiscences were interrupted by the sounds of chairs scraping back and a sudden uptick in general noise from the meeting room. It seemed proceedings were drawing to a close. She was grateful for that as her leg was beginning to pulse a dull ache, reminding her just how long she had been stood upright.

The door opened and Tamren ensured she kept her gaze on the corridor itself, scanning the area for any potential threats. Kevan was right, after everything else they had dealt with, this visit really was very low risk comparatively. Still, it paid to be vigilant.

“Please send over the final plans and I will get back to you later on today,” she heard Kevan say from beside her and when she turned he was shaking hands with Baelish. The PR man made her skin crawl in exactly the same way she remembered from the last time she had seen him. He was creepy in a way she couldn’t quite place.

Fortunately, Kevan did not linger long in the hallway, apparently keen to be gone as well. Tamren fell into step beside him as they marched from the building.

Her leg was stiff and she realised her limp had come back a little, leaving her struggling to keep pace with Kevan’s strides. Irritation blossomed in her chest at that as she realised she wasn’t quite back to full strength. The scaring and the stitches she could deal with, but the sense of vulnerability that it left her with was harder to process.

By the time they made it to the car, the ache had subsided a little but Tamren still felt on edge when she slid into the back seat beside Kevan. He was distracted, tapping away at an email on his phone but she could tell the meeting must have gone well judging by his otherwise relaxed demeanour. She wished she could feel quite so calm but something seemed off. The car was idling but they weren’t pulling away.

“What’s the hold up?” she asked, leaning forward in her seat to speak to the driver. From the corner of her eye she saw Kevan look up at that.

The driver looked over his shoulder and shrugged. “Lead car’s not pulling away.”

She frowned and looked to the car ahead through the windscreen. The two guards that had accompanied them were stood outside of the vehicle with their driver and were walking round to the bonnet.

“Wait here,” she said to Kevan and opened the door.

 

 

 

Kevan frowned as he watched her go, tucking his phone away in his pocket. At this rate he was going to be late for his last planning meeting back at Parliament regarding the donors dinner. It was hardly top of his list of priorities or even something he particularly wanted to do but he hated to think what Cersie would organise without him there.

Tamren was only gone for a minute and then she appeared by the driver’s window, tapping once on the darkened glass and waiting for it to roll down.

“Engine trouble?” his driver asked and Kevan watched Tamren give a brusque nod in response. He could see how on edge she was, her posture stiff and no hint of a smile in her eyes like there usually was.

“I’ll see if I can help,” the driver continued. He cut the engine and stepped out.

Kevan found himself left alone for a moment whilst Tamren and the driver conversed momentarily before the young man jogged away to the lead vehicle and she climbed back into the car.

His guard gave a heavy sigh of irritation as she took the seat beside him and instinctively, he found himself reaching for her hand. He ran a thumb over her knuckles in an attempt to soothe her mood and she turned to him.

There was a moment where neither of them moved. Then Tamren must have realised at the same time he did that, not only were they finally alone, but surrounded by tinted windows as they were, their colleagues would not be able to see them. Her lips met his just as began to lean in to her.

Kevan had intended it to be a brief kiss as a chance for them to reconnect but Tamren never seemed to do anything by halves. Her hands were on him instantly, tugging him closer so she could deepen the kiss. He found himself rapidly losing track of anything other than the sensation of her mouth on his as her tongue slid past his lips, leaving him breathless. He was faintly aware of the sound of a low moan of pleasure echoing inside the armoured vehicle but it was only when he felt her grin against him that he realised it had come from himself.

“We need . . . to slow down,” he managed to mumble before she was kissing him again. Her hands were everywhere at once, running over his chest, brushing over his face, tightening in the hair at the nape of his neck. Kevan knew this was far past the line they had agreed on but it felt so good to be wanted that he lost himself in the intensity of her desire and for a few moments, gave up worrying about everything but the woman in his arms.

It was only the sound of an engine rumbling into life somewhere up ahead of them that forced him to pull away. When he caught Tamren’s gaze, the look she gave him was needy and frustrated and he couldn’t help but feel a thrill of male pride at that.

“We have got to get more time alone,” she said, her breathing sounding considerably more under control than he could feel his own was.

“Agreed,” Kevan replied just as the driver opened the car door and slid into the front seat.

“All sorted,” the young man said without turning. Kevan just gave a nod in response, not trusting himself to speak, and then they were pulling away.

 

 

 

Tamren was still feeling intensely frustrated by the time her shift finished. A trip to the gym didn’t help, nor did a cold shower. She almost considered heading back to the security office to find something to distract her from her wandering thoughts but it was late and Brienne had left for the day whilst Jamie was likely still in the same meeting Kevan was, discussing the donors dinner, so instead she headed back to her room.

They’d been late getting back to Parliament, something that had clearly agitated Kevan. That or he was feeling just as wound up as she was, Tamren thought, as she lay back on the familiar camp bed, staring at the ceiling. She shut her eyes for a moment and found her mind immediately flooded by the memory of him. The taste of him, the way he’d responded immediately to her touch and that moan – Gods, she couldn’t wait to hear that again.

Something else was nagging at her though. She never had found out precisely what was wrong with the lead vehicle and whilst lingering in the car park of a PR firm wasn’t too much of a threat, delays to travel that took them outside of their carefully worked plans were always a security risk. It shouldn’t have happened, she thought. Not with how strictly the vehicles were maintained.

The suspicion was pushed aside when her phone buzzed, Kevan’s name appearing across the screen. Tamren grinned until she registered he was calling rather than messaging – he rarely rang for anything other than work. She felt a sudden jolt of concern and snatched up the phone.

“Everything alright?”

There was a slight pause and then Kevan replied. “I’m fine but I need you to drop by now. I’m in my office.”

Something was definitely wrong, Tamren had caught the tension in his voice. She jumped out of bed, grabbing a sweatshirt and pulling it on over the t-shirt she had thrown on after her shower.

“I’m on my way.”

She all but ran down the corridor towards his office, the dull ache in her leg forgotten. She didn’t even pause to knock at the door, concern for him overriding all sense of decorum.

He wasn’t alone when she burst into the room. Jamie was there as well, he and Kevan huddled around the desk, Kevan’s laptop open between them spilling blue light over stern faces.

She slowed as she approached them, her eyes meeting Kevan’s across the room. He did not smile.

“I’ve received another threat.”

Tamren felt her chest tighten at his words. After everything that had happened on Pyke and how quiet Parliament had been comparatively since the independence vote had been secured, that was the last thing she had expected.

She rounded the desk and moved to stand close beside him. The tension was radiating off Kevan, it was clear in the set of his jaw and the deep lines furrowing his brow. With Jamie present, it was a risk to touch him, but she found herself briefly settling a hand against his back anyway as she lent in to view the screen. He didn’t move away.

The message was as blunt and brief as before but the email address it came from was not the same.

- _Our last attempt may have failed but you will not be so lucky next time. You cannot buy our compliance with a false vote. We will have our voices heard, we will hold you responsible for the incarceration of our brothers and sisters who stood up against you – we will have our revenge._

Something about the language used seem different to the previous threats, though Tamren couldn’t put her finger on why.

“Has the Premier received a similar message? Or Tywin?” she asked.

 Jamie shook his head. “Not as far as I know,” he replied. “I’ll give them both a call to check but Dad is pretty rigorous about checking his emails, if he’d had one, I think we’d know by now.”

Something wasn’t sitting right about this for Tamren. The message made no reference to anyone else in power and with Kevan mostly running the show from behind the scenes, it seemed odd only he should be targeted. The last threat received had been the bomb scare and that had targeted more than just him as the head of the election campaign.

She said as much to the two men beside her and Kevan gave a tense nod.

“The assassination attempt was never aimed directly at me, just whichever official attended and it was expected originally that it would be the Premier himself,” he said, frowning for a moment before he gave a weary shrug. “Perhaps my role in securing the vote was enough to turn the focus onto me. I suppose that’s probably something we should be grateful for.”

Tamren tensed at his words. From a security standpoint, his assessment was logical, it was always best for the threat to be directed away from the Premier. Her personal involvement made it rather more difficult to see it that way.

“We can trace the IP address back to the computer it was sent from and we have a time signature,” she said, turning to Jamie and attempting to focus on what she could control for the time being. “If it was sent from within the building, perhaps we can check the cameras to see who was involved.”

“I’m on it now,” her colleague replied, straightening up and rounding the desk.

The moment the door shut behind Jamie, Tamren wrapped her arms around Kevan, holding him close. He was so solid and reliable, she thought as she breathed in the familiar scent of him. Even now, he radiated authority and calm. It was almost impossible to imagine him being vulnerable and yet she found herself feeling so desperately worried for him all she wanted was to cling to him to ensure no one else could get anywhere near him.

She felt Kevan return her embrace, his arms slipping around her waist to draw her nearer to him.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” she promised him.

Kevan tightened his grip on her, a quiet sigh slipping from his lips. She felt him press a kiss to her temple.

“I’m not worried, Tam.”

She frowned and pulled back at that, ready to argue with him about taking this seriously until he continued. “I trust you and Jamie will look after the situation. I’m just fed up of all of this disruption - I want some normality back in my life!”

Tamren gave him a sympathetic smile and ran a hand over his face, hoping to soothe his frustration. Kevan closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he gave her a wan look before leaning in for a brief kiss.

“If it makes you feel any better, this is a great excuse to cancel any meetings you don’t want to attend tomorrow. I’m sure I can get them designated a security risk if you want?” she offered.

He chuckled quietly at that then shook his head. “There’s too much booked up over the next few weeks, I can’t let this affect the campaign.”

She knew that would be his response, he was nothing if not diligent in his task.

“Which is why I need to go and sort security plans for you for tomorrow,” she replied, reluctantly removing her arms from around his neck. Whilst she’d rather have spent the rest of the evening at his side, there were more productive ways she could she keep him safe.

Kevan nodded agreement, moving back to his chair and taking a seat behind the desk. She saw him glance again at the email open on the screen before he clicked away and back to the document he had been working on previously. Tamren frowned as she recognised the heading.

“Are you working on my contract?”

He looked up from the laptop.

“The lawyers sent me over some notes. I was just having a quick look-”

Tamren couldn’t believe he was really going to settle back into working on this now.

“Kevan, you don’t need to be doing this right now. It’s late, get some rest.”

His brow crumpled at her words.

“It won’t take long. It’s quite a tightly written document but the lawyers think there are a couple of loopholes that could help you out. How is your brother by the way? You said you spoke to him recently?”

She wasn’t buying his attempt at diverting the conversation and gave him a pointed look.

“He’s fine, being as deliberately evasive about everything as usual. Not that it’s your problem,” she added. 

Kevan looked thoughtful for a moment and she wondered whether he might actually be deciding on turning in for the night until he spoke.

“When was the last time you saw Tom?”

Tamren shrugged, uncertain on where he was going with this. “A few months ago, a year maybe. I don’t know. What’s your point?”

“Well,” he began and she could tell he was picking his words carefully. “You must have accrued quite a bit of annual leave by now that I would be happy to authorise. Perhaps you should consider going to see him. There are some documents regarding the business that could help with this and I’m assuming he has them.”

She gaped at him, taken aback by his words.

“You’ve just received a death threat and you’re sending me away?”

“I’m not sending you away. Trust me, Tam, that is the last thing I want,” he clarified quickly, raising a hand when she started to argue. “I’m just suggesting some time with your brother might be good for both of you as well as helping your cause. Will you consider it?”

As she looked down at him seated at his desk, Tamren truly wasn’t sure whether she wanted to embrace him or tell him how annoying he was. Despite his good intentions and the charmingly innocent smile he was giving her, she was leaning towards the latter.

She settled for an irritable look that he ignored, waiting for her response.

“Fine, I’ll think about it,” she said eventually before giving in and leaning in for a quick kiss. Kevan looked a touch smug. “I’ll have the guard on the lift stationed here until you’re done working, he can escort you back to your room after. Call me if anything else happens?”

He assured her he would and Tamren left, her thoughts muddled as she headed back to the security office yet again.

 

 

 

The following couple of days were filled with meetings and last minute tasks to be sorted prior to the donor’s dinner. Kevan felt like he barely had time to breathe let alone concern himself with whoever had issued the threat.

Tamren and Jamie had traced the IP address of the device used. Apparently, although it had been connected to the lobby WI-FI, it wasn’t registered to any of the computers within the building and they’d mentioned a time delay had been placed on the message so it was impossible to figure out when during the day the culprit had been present in Parliament. He didn’t particularly understand what they had been getting at when they explained something about unregistered devices connecting to the network but he gathered it meant they couldn’t say for certain when or who the message had been sent by.

Tamren seemed to be taking it personally that they couldn’t pin-point where the threats were coming from and as a consequence, he found she was at his side more often than he had expected. Whether she had requested to be returned to her role as his personal guard or whether Jamie and Brienne had taken the decision to allocate her on with him so frequently, he wasn’t sure and he didn’t wish to sound like he was questioning her professionalism, so he did not enquire. Besides, he thought, it was reassuring having her with him throughout his working day, even if they never seemed to get much time alone.

It did, however, create a different kind of distraction throughout his day. Despite all his caution and their mutual agreement to keep their distance during work hours, it was getting harder to keep his hands off her. Her constant heated looks and comments definitely weren’t helping matters, particularly not when she had suggested taking a long lunch in his office together. Whilst the last thing he wanted was for their first time together to be some rushed, fumble on his desk, it was difficult to say no when she had given him a grin and whispered the words in his ear.

He’d stumbled over his response and Tamren had just laughed and playfully nudged his shoulder with her own, reassuring him she was joking. He wasn’t so sure though. He might have started things but she had been increasingly amorous ever since and they were both taking risks that were going to eventually get them in trouble.

If he was honest with himself, Kevan knew the only thing that had stopped him was nerves. It had been a long time since he had been with anyone, considerably longer since it had been anyone other than his ex-wife and, whilst he certainly did not wish to compare the two, he was intensely conscious that Tamren was a very different woman to the one he had loved for so many years. He wanted to get this right and to do so, he needed time. Which was something they never truly seemed to get together.

His frustration at their lack of opportunities for contact ate away at him almost as much as his concerns over the election. Despite an initial upswing in their approval ratings following securing the vote in the Iron Islands, their polling was still taking a hit in comparison to their rivals. Daenerys had made a number of speeches and promises to respect the sovereignty of every region whilst maintaining unity and that, alongside some leaked bad press from disgruntled former employees regarding Joffrey’s ill temper with staff behind closed doors, had seen her inch ever closer to their lead.

Kevan knew it was doubly important that they generated some good press in the current climate. But when it came to the evening of the dinner, he found himself stressed and irritable and truly in no mood for frivolities.

He was stood outside of his room and still trying to sort out his cufflinks when Tamren made her way down the hallway towards him, hands tucked in the pockets of her trousers and her usual grin on her face when she greeted him.

As she drew closer, he registered her give him a quick look up and down, the grin turning to a mischievous smirk that would have usually lightened his mood and set his pulse racing.

“You’re looking particularly handsome this evening.”

Kevan gave a brief hum of acknowledgement. As a rule, he quite enjoyed the opportunity to get out of his usual suits and dress up for a black tie function but tonight he would be required to play media buffer for his brother who hated anything to do with the press and almost certainly have to contain any bad behaviour from Cersie and Joffrey.

His worries were brushed aside momentarily when Tamren stepped round in front of him, placing herself between him and the security camera situated on the high wall behind them.  She reached out and took the cufflink he was fussing with.

“And in an exceptionally bad mood too, apparently,” she added with a pointed look. Kevan felt a flash of guilt.

Her fingers slid past his own, pausing briefly to massage his wrist before slipping the link through the button hole of his cuffs. She made to move to his other arm but he stopped her, settling his hand over her own for a moment with a sigh.

“My apologies, Tam.” He caught her eye and gave her a smile. “And thank you.”

She gave a quick laugh and fixed his last cufflink for him, her fingers lingering on his sleeve for a second longer than necessary before she released him. They turned and began making their way towards the lift together, Kevan trying to temper his ill mood now she was with him.

“What’s got you so wound up?” she asked as they waited for the elevator doors to open.

He stepped in with her and settled back against the wall. Tamren lounged beside him, near enough he could smell a hint of something citrus, a new shampoo perhaps, he thought. The urge to reach for her and run a hand through her hair was suddenly ridiculously overwhelming – it had been all week. Only the security camera blinking away in the corner stopped him.

He ignored his desire and shrugged. “The usual. Work, family.”

“Not up for dinner and dancing then?” she asked, her lips tugging up at the corners. Kevan found himself staring at them, distracted again until she gave him a subtle nudge and he sighed somewhat dramatically.

“Good grief, no. Hours of handshakes and dances with drunk politicians and being bored to death by socialites is not my idea of fun.”

Tamren laughed and the sound lifted his mood. She was dressed in her usual sharp black suit and a crisp white shirt so that, for a second, he could almost imagine they were heading down to dinner together. _Oh for life to be as simple as that_ , he thought.

Her voice cut through his daydreaming. “Kevan, someone tried to kill you the other day, dancing is hardly the worst thing you’ve had to deal with recently.”

She had a point. It had been a very long week.

He tried to push aside his frustration and join in with her gentle teasing. “Ahh, but the difference is, when those rather aggravated gentlemen attempted to accost me, I had my dashing bodyguard there to save me, didn’t I?”

Tamren rolled her eyes, turning her head to him as they stood leaning against the wall. She was incredibly close, Kevan realised. Close enough he could see the way the bruising had faded on her cheek and the skin around the cuts to her head was slowly beginning to knit back together. He felt a pang of guilt, a rush of compassion and then, as his eyes dropped to hers, a growing sense of need.

There was a long moment where neither of them moved, something hanging between them. For a second, he thought she might kiss him despite the presence of the security camera. He would not have stopped her, he realised. Then the lift jolted to a stop and the sounds of the party came drifting through in a cacophony of noise as the doors slid open.

Tamren pushed off the wall with her shoulder and stepped out ahead of him. “Well, any time you need me to cut in, just give me the signal.”

Kevan took a breath, composing himself. “And what might that be?” he asked as they moved into the great hall. It was rapidly filling up with a loud mix of politicians, business people and the odd celebrity guest he desperately wanted to avoid.

She turned to him just as they approached a crowd of cabinet ministers, all clutching champagne glasses and laughing uproariously at something. She caught his eye for a second, smiled mischievously and gave him a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

 

 

 

Tamren wound her way through the assembled guests and took up a position on the far side of the room, giving her a clear view over proceedings.

The usually sparse hall had been draped out with the party banners – great reams of billowing silk running the length of the high ceilings, lights twinkling away behind them to cast a muted, warm glow over precisely laid tables and a dancefloor polished to a shine. A band was playing quietly on the stage usually occupied by political speakers, some non-descript jazz she couldn’t identify. The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial but that did not seem to reflect in Kevan’s demeanour.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Though on the surface he was his usual charming self, shaking hands and swapping pleasantries with guests, Kevan looked hilariously fed-up about the whole situation. His jaw was set, his smile tight and she could tell by the way the lines deepened at the corner of his eyes, that he was distracted. She followed his stern gaze to see it was fixed on Cersie stood a few metres away, glass in hand and regaling a contingent from the Reach with some tale or other.

Brienne appeared at Tamren’s side and she pulled her attention from Kevan who was now being drawn into conversation with a group of Northern businessmen she recognised from their trip to Winterfell city.

“All running smoothly so far?” she asked as the head of security halted, her gaze scanning the hall.

Brienne nodded. “As far as I can tell. No gate crashers and no un-approved press, though there is a hell of a crowd of photographers out front.”

Tamren wasn’t surprised. The party was quite the event and she knew that what happened this evening would be scrutinised by social media feeds and rolling news channels for any hint of disruption or issue within the campaign. Everyone needed to be on their best behaviour and everything had to run smoothly.

“I’m going to check in with Jamie, he’s managing the entrance,” Brienne added.

Tamren felt a tinge of jealousy at that, knowing her friend would be able to spend the best part of her evening with the man she had fallen for whilst she was resigned to observe Kevan from afar. She quickly supressed the thought and gave Brienne a joking salute before she disappeared back into the crowd once more.

She watched from her vantage point as Kevan continued to mingle with the rich and powerful of Westeros. Despite his clear desire to get back to what he would consider real work in the form of planning meetings and reviewing figures, he seemed completely at home amongst the glamour and wealth on display. Tamren found her initial sense of amusement fading a little as more canapes were passed around and everyone seemed to relax into easy conversation with each other. This was a world she had long stood on the outskirts of, always working, always vigilant, but never a part of.

A businessman from the North clapped Kevan on the back and laughed at a comment he had made. An elegant Dornish politician smiled at him as he handed her a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter, thanking him with a dazzling smile. A young socialite somehow talked him into having his picture taken with her and a handful of other ministers. All the while, Tamren watched with a certain sense of unease and wondered if she would ever truly have a place at his side in amongst all this opulence.

Her leg gave a dull twinge, reminding her of what she should be focused on. She shifted her position subtly to allow herself to lean a little on the pillar at her back. She needed to keep herself alert and agile lest she have to move suddenly for any reason.

The guests had all been vetted carefully so it was unlikely there was much risk from them. It was the staff Tamren found herself watching. They still hadn’t ascertained who had sent Kevan the latest email and as she watched him mingling with the party donors, she was uncomfortably aware of her distance from him.

Kevan seemed to have relaxed by the time the dinner announcement was made and the assembled crowd began to take their seats. Tamren stretched a little and switched her position, doing the rounds of the other guards positioned about the hall, checking in with each of them whilst the guests indulged in starters and wine.

As she reached the back of the room and lent on the bar, she noted Kevan did not appear to be taking up the offer of free drinks. As diligent and focused as ever, she thought. Instead, he was deep in conversation with an older woman she recognised as Olenna Tyrell, the grandmother of the Premier’s fiancé and a powerful business owner in her own right. She was certainly someone the party needed to keep onside, but as the older woman began to respond to whatever Kevan had said, Tamren noted he suddenly seemed distracted again, glancing around the room, searching for something.

It was only when his eyes met her own across the crowd and the corner of his lips tugged upwards subtly that Tamren realised that it was her he had been looking for.

 

 

 

Kevan watched Tamren return his smile for a moment, before turning his attention back to Olenna and doing his best to seem engaged in the conversation.

It was a relief how well the evening was progressing, he thought, as the waiters began to bring round the main courses. Despite the readily flowing drink and high spirits, even Cersie was on good form and all he could hear from the tables around him was laughter rather than any raised voices. He hoped it would remain that way.

Dinner continued and Kevan made sure to keep an eye out for Tamren between networking with the guests at his table. He could see her gradually making her way around the room, stopping to speak to other guards, checking in with staff and generally keeping as much of a watchful eye over proceedings as he was himself. Every now and then she would glance back to him and he could enjoy the moment of connection before he was drawn back into whatever conversation he was meant to be focused on. Despite the elegantly dressed guests and merriment around him, or perhaps, he mused, because of it, it seemed to be particularly difficult to take his eyes off her tonight as she patrolled the room.

The crowd at the table began to thin out, chairs abandoned as guests made their way over to the dancefloor. Kevan checked his watch, in another half an hour, he realised, Tamren would be off shift. With everyone seemingly behaving themselves, he reasoned he could slip away soon as well and resolved to leave not long after she did.

For the time being, he continued to converse with the older guests who it seemed had predominantly chosen to avoid mingling with the socialites on the dance floor. Which was definitely for the best, he thought, he’d seen enough of them inebriated at staff parties to know cabinet ministers dancing was not a good idea.

He spotted his brother in amongst the dancing crowd, doing a good job of looking considerably more poised than most of the guests half his age. Kevan smiled to himself, pleased that Tywin seemed to be in a good mood for once, but also relieved he had dodged any attempts at introductions to female company his brother had in mind. He’d been making the odd comment on and off throughout the week about moneyed single women who would be attending and it had been putting Kevan on edge.

He was just starting to think he had avoided any uncomfortable dancing and was contemplating finally having a drink when Tywin appeared at his side, a tall, elegant figure Kevan immediately recognised, now hanging on his arm.

“Kevan, so nice to see you again,” Meya Torrent said with a genuine smile as she halted before him, her hand clasped in Tywin’s. She was wearing a dinner gown in deep red, her hair tied up artfully in some fashion that looked time consuming and a pair of heels raising her to slightly more than his own height.

“Meya,” he replied, giving a polite nod in response. He rose from his seat and gestured towards the bar. “I was just going to get a drink, would either of you care for anything whilst I’m there?”

Tywin gave him an imperious look, one brow arched and a dangerous smile playing about his features.

“Actually, Kevan, I need to have a word with the Premier for a moment. Meya is not quite done dancing yet, perhaps you could do her the honour of accompanying her for a while until I return?”

Kevan tensed as his brother waited for his response, Meya smiling indulgently at his side.

Not only did he have no particular desire to dance with anyone, he knew Tamren was watching, though he did his best not to look over to where he knew she was stood. He found himself suddenly wishing he’d been less distracted on the way down to dinner, chastising himself for not realising this would happen. They’d barely had a moment together and he was uncertain how she would feel about watching him dance with another woman. He desperately wished he’d taken the time to reassure her that, whatever happened tonight, she was the only one he wanted.

That moment had passed though and faced with a smiling Meya and his brother waiting impatiently, Kevan realised he didn’t have much choice in the matter. To refuse would be rude and quite likely further raise his brother’s suspicions. Tywin had mostly left the topic of Tamren alone since the incident on Pyke and he had no desire to give him a reason to bring it up again.

So instead of declining, he gave a tight smile and offered Ms Torrent his arm, leading her out to the crowded dancefloor. It would be one dance, he promised himself, and he would make it as brief as possible without seeming impolite.

Meya twinned her hand through his own the moment they reached the edge of the dancing crowd and Kevan did his best to maintain his smile until he struck upon another issue. Her dress was backless he suddenly realised, which left him with very little opportunity to avoid contact with her bare skin.

He rested his hand in as innocent a position as possible against the thin fabric at her waist, keeping her other hand held lightly in his own. She settled in against him, a little too close for comfort. Kevan shuffled half a step back and held her at an awkward distance as they began to move.

He knew where Tamren was positioned and wrestled with whether it was worse to hold her gaze whilst he danced with another woman or to avoid eye contact entirely. In the end, he found himself drawn to her before he could stop himself and he almost stumbled as he caught her eye.

He’d been worried she would look angry, even more so that she might seem upset, recalling how distant she had been when they had travelled back from dinner at the restaurant weeks ago. Instead, he realised with some relief and then a touch of annoyance, she was wearing a barely concealed grin, a look of clear amusement on her face.

“You seem distracted.”

The words were murmured in his ear and Kevan snapped to attention, hoping Meya wouldn’t be able to tell where his gaze had drifted as they turned on the dancefloor.

“Yes, well, we all have a lot on our minds at the moment.”

Meya laughed and seemed to edge closer to him again. Kevan felt a flash of irritation. She was toying with him, clearly. She’d been on his brother’s arm most of the night, hanging on his every word and it was clear to Kevan she no longer had any interest in him now Tywin was present. He wondered if this was all some game to get back at him for turning her down or whether she was putting on a show for his brother who had very clearly put her up to this.

“Work, or something else?” she enquired innocently. Kevan tensed as they turned and his gaze drifted back to Tamren, now leaning at the bar again.

As his eyes met her own once more, he saw her bite her lip and gave him a look that was definitely not amusement anymore. Behind the neutral, professional expression she was trying to present, Kevan could see the same look she had given him in the back of the car when they had been forced to break off their embrace - desire, frustration and something deeper. A sudden warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the woman currently in his arms.

Meya lent in close to his head again and Kevan considered giving Tamren the signal she’d suggested, confident she would find some excuse to draw him away. Until Meya spoke.

“Or perhaps it has something to do with why your brother was so very insistent we share a dance. Care to enlighten me?”

 

 

 

 

It was ridiculous to feel as irritable about watching him dance with Meya Torrent as she did, Tamren knew, but it didn’t stop her from tensing involuntarily at the sight.

It had been funny at first, watching him so flustered, clearly desperate not to give the wrong impression, which she suspected was for her benefit – something that was confirmed when he’d met her eye with an apologetic look. But then Meya had moved closer and Kevan had settled into the movements, clearly a proficient if hesitant dancer, and she felt jealousy rear its ugly head once more.

She shifted her feet and tried to look away but it was impossible. When she glanced back, they were conversing quietly whilst they danced, heads close together, a smile gracing Meya’s face - beautiful, unmarked, unscarred, and as elegant as one would expect from the woman currently in the arms of one the most powerful men in the country.

Tamren felt her skin prickle, her pulse rising as she tried to bite back an irrational wave of frustration. She’d give anything to be stood in his arms, winding their way across a dancefloor together, champagne glasses discarded and eyes on nothing but each other. It was hard to imagine that ever being a possibility for them whilst she stood on the edge of the hall in her suit, deeply conscious all of a sudden of the injuries she was carrying and how she must look compared to the stunning guests around her. It was rare that she ever felt particularly insecure her own appearance, but at the moment, it was difficult not to.

Kevan continued to hold her gaze over his dance partner’s shoulder, breaking away each time the couple turned, seeking her out the moment he faced her again. Every time he did, she felt just a little of that uncertainty fade, replaced by the familiar heat of desire that had been building all week. Perhaps she could drag him out onto the balcony for some fresh air and a few hasty, stolen kisses once he was done, she wondered.

It seemed unlikely. He would have to return to networking, or maybe even further apparently necessary dances. She truly did not want to stay and watch that, however handsome he might look doing it.

 

 

 

Kevan watched Tamren begin yet another lap of the hall, checking in with her colleagues. He’d seen her expression change as she’d pushed off the bar and he felt his chest tighten. He had to do something. This had gone on long enough.

He released Meya’s hand and before she could finish whatever she had started to say to him, he was interrupting.

“I’m afraid there’s something urgent I need to take care of. I’m sure my brother will be more than happy to share another dance.”

With that he strode away without another look in her direction, heading back to the table where he had discarded his dinner jacket.

Kevan dug inside the fabric, searching for his phone. He was formulating a plan even as he began tapping out a quick message. He glanced up to see Tamren watching him once more and hit send.

It was subtle, but he registered the moment she got the message, her hand reflexively straying towards her pocket and a look of interest suddenly flashing across her face. She seemed to check the impulse to immediately read the message and then turned away, heading to anther guard positioned close to the dancefloor. That was his cue to move as well.

He was just about to walk away when he paused, something on the table catching his eye. Kevan glanced around him once but everyone was busy dancing or conversing, certainly not paying attention to him. In one swift movement, he swiped an un-opened bottle of wine from the table, tucked it under his arm and threw his jacket over the top to conceal it before heading for the exit.

 

 

 

Tamren had been watching Kevan’s movements with some confusion. Things suddenly became clearer when she caught his eye just as she felt her phone buzz once and realised what he had done.

She paused a moment, sticking to her intended trajectory and speaking to a colleague for a few seconds, letting him leave the room before she reached into her pocket in case anyone else should have been paying enough attention to have picked up on the exchange. But she was just another member of staff and none of the guests were interested in her presence.

She dug out her phone and felt a jolt of excitement that left her pulse racing as she read the message he had sent.

_-Meet me at the lifts. Two minutes. x_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm stuck in Coronavirus lockdown which is giving me more time to write than usual but also making me lose my head. If anyone wants to chat writing etc. then shout me - jump_ship90@outlook.com


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